Master Thief
by Laura 001
Summary: Ginny Weasley had a secret; and that was a novelty in her family. Being the youngest and the only girl, meant it was hard for her to do things without her family noticing. But she succeeded with this, and that thrilled her almost as much as the actual secret. She was a thief.
1. Chapter 1

****Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!****

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 **A/N:** Hi All! This story will be over 20,000 words. I hope you enjoy the story XD

 **Warnings:** AU - no war, language, questionable morals, no Hermione/Harry/Ron goodness to be found here, possibly OoC – depending on your perspective – to me, however, I would debate that they fit the rough mould when you remove the war. Also, the war doesn't exist in this one.

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Ginny Weasley had a secret; and that was a novelty in her family. Being the youngest and the only girl, meant it was hard for her to do things without her family noticing. But she succeeded with this, and that thrilled her almost as much as the actual secret.

She was a thief.

A master thief at that.

Admittedly, it had been a strange career choice, but it was one she'd had since her father showed her a particular Muggle movie as a young child. From that point on, Ginny had been enthralled with the idea.

She didn't do it because she was poor, she did it for the thrill. The rush. The hit of adrenaline shooting through her veins as she undertook her challenge and the flush of success that always followed.

She twiddled her fingers as she sat on the hard, old chair; waiting for everyone to finish packing for school and join her in the kitchen. Looking at the ticking clock on the wall, she could see they were due to leave for platform nine and three quarters in seven minutes. Listening carefully, she heard her mother shouting two floors above at Ron, who had yet to finish packing. Leaving in seven minutes seemed more unlikely than she previously thought. An increasing tremble through the floor told her that someone was running lightly down the stairs; it was probably Hermione, the boys tended to thunder down when in a rush and her mother had long since lost the ability of lightness. A smell of metal and dust reached her nose and she figured the twins had snuck into the room using a silencing charm.

'Hello, Gred,' Ginny said and then turned towards her brothers.

'Gin Gin, you spoil our fun,' two terrible voices whined in union, pouting at her satisfied smirk.

'Nevertheless-'

'We came-'

'To wish-'

'You'

'A good-'

'School year-'

'Little sis.'

Ginny rolled her eyes at the antics of the identical boys in front of her and wrapped them each a tight hug. 'I'll miss you two the most,' she whispered in their ears.

'Likewise,' they replied.

'By the way,' George said, 'have you seen our book?'

'Book? Which book?' Ginny asked.

'The book, Ginny. The one with the list of all the pranks we've pulled since starting at Hogwarts.'

 _Yes, yes, I have. It's in my horde of most prized possessions,_ she thought.

Putting her finger to her lips in a picture of pondering innocence, she answered, 'No, I haven't. Don't you keep it under lock and key?'

 _And fifteen different enchantments - so paranoid._

The twins whimpered, sounding like a starving puppy begging for a morsel from a grand banquet. Once a month, the twins would take a full day to review their book and relive the good memories; without it, they felt like the sun would never again shine on their freckles.

Ginny would slip it back into their safe eventually, she was closer to the twins than anyone else, having bonded over trickery and cunning, and that meant she would always return their things if she acquired them; not that they knew of her secret career.

'Are you sure one of you didn't spill some potion that you were creating on it and turn it into something else?'

The twins spun to face each other, jaws opening and closing, eyes wide, 'What did you do‽' they shouted at each other in perfect timing.

Ginny dropped her head and let her silky hair brush gently down her cheek to cover her smile, pretending to look for something in her messenger bag.

The twins pounced on each other and tumbled with a thump to the floor just as Hermione skipped in. And promptly tripped over them.

Hermione yelped and Ginny gingerly stepped over her brothers to help the girl stand among the flailing limbs.

'Thanks, Ginny,' Hermione breathed.

'Hazards of a Weasley home, you should look before you enter a room, actually I'm surprised you didn't… unless you wanted to land on my two brothers…' Ginny let her though waft in the air and was answered by Hermione's blush. 'My apologies then, for helping you up,' Ginny said with a mischievous grin.

Hermione's heightened blood spread to include her neck. 'N-no, you're completely off track.'

'Mm hm.'

Hermione immediately busied herself by getting her trunk into the waiting car, face and neck still flushed.

Ginny sat back down and started to drum her fingers on the kitchen table as she watched her battling brothers. Fifteen minutes after she heard her mother shouting, Ron came down the stairs, hauling his thumping trunk behind him. Ginny rolled her eyes at her youngest brother's dishevelled appearance, he looked like he did in his first year going to school, right down to the smudge of dirt on his face… or is it food? Harry was behind him, carrying his luggage carefully - thanks, no doubt, to years of Dursley conditioning.

'Ginny, why are you sitting there? You should be getting ready!' Molly shrieked.

'All my belongings that I plan to take are packed in the car,' Ginny said in a bored tone.

'Oh! Well, I'm glad one of you is ready. Ron, why can't you be more like your sister?' Molly scolded.

Ron shot her a dirty look, but Ginny just rolled her eyes; it wasn't her fault Ron didn't plan ahead and it wasn't like leaving for Hogwarts today was a surprise, being the first of September and all. Ron seemed to disagree and showed his further displeasure by knocking his trunk into her chair; she would have fallen if her reflexes weren't excellent.

 _Fine, be that way: but I'll be damned if I tell you about the dirt on your face_.

* * *

Arriving at the station late, as always, the group rushed to the platform, clattering and banging the whole way; Muggles shooting them judgmental looks as they raced by. When Ginny waltzed quietly onto the platform after her running family, she paused to glance around, trying to spot her friends.

The platform was beginning to empty of students, tearful parents stood waving as they looked for their children in the windows.

Seeing her family near a carriage which was usually full of Gryffindors, Ginny made her way over to say goodbye. As she neared, Malfoy sweep passed Ron and muttered, 'I know you have no social abilities, Weasel, but I would have thought you could at least not stink up the general area by using some soap and water occasionally; or do you think that your stench attracts the bush-haired-girl-you-wish-was-more-than-a-friend?'

Ron snarled in response, 'Sod off, Ferret.'

'Gladly, I can only hold my breath for so long.' Malfoy sauntered away as Ron watched with narrowed eyes, hand spasming towards his wand.

Ginny twitched her nose in irritation, she didn't like Malfoy, however she didn't have the same level of animosity with him that Ron had (for some reason Malfoy hadn't picked on her since her first year), but with Ron's dirt‑smudged face and Hermione's wild hair she couldn't dispute his comment… and her brother did smell a bit - like stuffy sweat - no doubt from sleeping in a room where quidditch clothes lay on the floor for days under bright, closed windows.

Ginny gave her parents a hug and then jumped onto the train, hauling her belongings behind her.

'There is a free space in our carriage, Ginny,' Harry offered.

'Thanks, but I want to catch up with some people. Later,' she said with a wave and wondered down the carriage, peering into doors in her search. She liked the trio, but they were a tight-knit group who only included her when it suited them, not really good friend material. She found her true friends in the next carriage.

'Hi all, how was your break?' she asked as she levitated her items onto the luggage rack and sat down in the cushy spare seat.

'Wonderful, and yours?' Luna replied.

'Very good, although I wish for one year we didn't have to rush through the train station to make it before the Hogwarts Express leaves!'

'Did Ron lose something again?' Luna asked.

'No, he just didn't bother to pack.'

As Luna and the other two gave Ginny their commiserations, Ginny turned to ask how their holidays were.

'I spent mine in the British Museum,' replied Kate Axton, a Ravenclaw who Luna had introduced her to. Kate was in her Potions class and the two often partnered each other in the lesson with great success.

'That sounds sooo dull! Why would you do that? Oh wait, I forgot, Ravenclaw,' replied Meadow. Meadow was from the ancient Ainslie family and a Slytherin through and through; it wasn't surprising she had developed a cunning nature after her Hufflepuff parents allowed their humour rather than sense to name her - as Ainslie also meant meadow.

Kate whacked her friend over the head in response as Luna and Ginny giggled at their antics.

'Well, what did you do?' Kate demanded.

'I went to a quidditch training camp,' Meadow replied. 'I am hoping to make the team this year.'

Ginny offered her friend a sympathetic look. Meadow was overlooked by the Slytherin Quidditch team captains continuously for two reasons, and two reasons only. One, she was a female and the captain of the Slytherin team was always some sexist boy. Two, her name was Meadow and they never even gave her the beater stick to trial with.

By the time they finished telling their holiday stories, they needed to change into their school robes.

A short while later, Hermione and Ron poked their heads in the door, the former announcing it was time to change into school robes.

 _Hermione really does take her prefect duties to the next level_.

'Oh,' Ron frowned when he saw Meadow's Slytherin robes, 'you still friends with this snake? You should know better by now, Ginny. Don't you remember what happened last time you befriended a snake? You almost died.'

Ginny glowered at her brother. 'I've told you before - butt out of it, I can be friends with who I wish, Ron. Merlin, don't be so prejudice.'

'I should take points from you for being rude to a prefect,' Ron replied with a light flush on the back of his neck.

'The way I see it, you are failing in your prefect duties by insulting younger students in other houses, perhaps I should report you?' a bored voice drawled as Malfoy sauntered into view.

'Sod off, Ferret.'

'How original,' Malfoy said as he brushed some non-existent lint from his robes.

Ron went completely red, he hated to be ignored and Ginny had to admit Malfoy used this against her brother with great success. Ron launched himself at the blond, but Malfoy quickly flicked his wrist and a shield charm sprung up - Ron bounced violently off it.

'What's going on here,' came Neville's voice, it had a surprisingly authoritive tone.

Malfoy looked at Neville and drawled, 'Weasley here was insulting a sixth-year Slytherin. I warned him that it was unseemly behaviour for a prefect to insult lower year students of other house. He got upset and attacked me, so I used a shield charm to protect myself, he threw himself into it and here we are.'

Neville looked hard at Malfoy and turned to the two Ravenclaws, the closest around to impartial observers. 'Is that an accurate summary?'

Kate and Luna nodded.

'Ron, I'm sorry, but I am going to have to report this,' Neville said.

'I'm your friend!' Ron said aghast from the floor.

'And the head boy. I can't show favouritism and overlook an attack on a prefect and verbal abuse of younger students.'

'But, it's Malfoy! He's picked on you for years!' Ron replied.

Neville shrugged and eyed Malfoy. 'I don't like him, but you are the one in the wrong. Sorry. Hermione, perhaps you and Ron had better leave this carriage. You too, Malfoy.'

Malfoy looked at Neville for a moment and then offered a nod of acknowledgement before walking away. Hermione dragged Ron in the other direction.

'Congratulations on being awarded head boy, Neville,' Ginny offered. 'From how you handled that, I think you will be brilliant.'

'Thanks,' Neville answered with a smile. 'At least it can only get easier from here: having to handle Malfoy and a friend as my first task is a bit… well, it will be easier from now on.'

'I'll admit I'm astounded Malfoy actually did as you said,' Ginny added.

'So am I, but if he actually decides to continue acting like that, then my year will be simpler; especially if his housemates follow his lead.'

'So who's head girl? I saw Hermione didn't have the badge,' Kate asked.

'Yeah, Hermione was a bit upset when the head girl was announced. The head girl is a Ravenclaw named Lauren Paityn.'

'Oh, she's nice. A good choice, I think,' Luna said.

'Yeah, McGonagall mentioned that school achievement was not the only criteria, the head students needed to be people approachable to everyone in the school. Hence why Hermione was unsuccessful.'

'Mm, she isn't really very approachable to other houses,' Meadow added. 'Does she even have friends in other houses?'

'Not really,' Ginny admitted. 'But she is nice to them; just a bit too wrapped up in studies and keeping Harry and Ron out of trouble, I suppose.'

'Well, I had better be off to continue patrols,' Neville said with a wave goodbye.

Ginny frowned in thought after he left.

'What's wrong?' Luna asked.

Ginny groaned and slumped across the seats dramatically.

'Sitting at the Gryffindor table will suck tonight. Ron will be pissed I didn't defend him and Hermione will be upset over missing out on the head girl position. And when Ron finds out about the dirt still on his face, he's going to flip.'

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 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed chapter one as much as I did writing it. I love spunky Ginny!** **If you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy XD**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

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 **A/N:** Thank you all for the favouriting, following, and reviews you have been posting! An extra long chapter for your today. Draco is back this chapter and Ginny has some fun - enjoy!

To the reviewers: **IamaHPFan** [Thank you for the thoughtful comments - just the kind to encourage me!] and **Guest** [Thanks! I do so love feisty Ginny!].

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Recap:

 _'Well, I had better be off to continue patrols,' Neville said with a wave goodbye. Ginny frowned in thought after he left._

 _'What's wrong?' Luna asked._

 _Ginny groaned and slumped across the seats dramatically. 'Sitting at the Gryffindor table will suck tonight. Ron will be pissed I didn't defend him and Hermione will be upset over missing out on the head girl position. And when Ron finds out about the dirt still on his face, he's going to flip.'_

* * *

'How could you not tell me,' Ron hissed.

'Perhaps you shouldn't have tried to knock me over with your trunk. Next time you should be nice to your sister,' Ginny snapped in reply. Ron had been moodily bitching at her for the last twenty minutes and she was tempted hex him as he slept, maybe take some inspiration from the twins' book and turn his pillow into a spider.

'So you decided to humiliate me‽ Real nice, Ginny.'

Ginny took a breath. _One. Two. Three._ _Nope that didn't work. Fine, Latin it is..._ _Unum._ _Duo._ _Tribus._ _Quattuor._ _Quinque. Sex. Septem. Octo. Novem. Decem._ [[Translation of Latin = _One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten._ ]]

'And now you're going to ignore me, you're pathetic.'

 _That's it!_

Ginny shoved her chair back from the table with a harsh scratch on the floor and stood up abruptly with a sneer at her brother, before stalking out of the hall with dozens of eyes trailing her brash movements. Once she was out the doors, the eyes all swivelled to where she had been sitting and focused on Ron: who still had dirt on his face after the poorly performed cleaning charm he'd cast.

Ginny didn't go towards the Gryffindor room, she was not going to sit in the hallway and listen to the Fat Lady sing while waiting for someone with a password. She was going to go to the kitchen and eat her dinner in peace.

Swinging the door open, a swarm of house elves arrived at her knees.

'Welcome back, Miss Ginny,' they chorused.

'Hi,' she replied with a grin.

The house elves were an interesting group who she had gotten to know well: they had even taught her some handy spells - after swearing her to secrecy.

'Dinner was delicious but the company was not, can I finish eating in here where you are?' she asked sweetly.

The elves nodded with bouncing ears and began to prepare her favourite foods.

Ginny turned to the room's table and was surprised to find it already occupied.

'You certainly have them wrapped around your little finger, Virginia,' Draco said with a hint of question in his voice.

'The house elves and I understand each other,' Ginny replied. 'And Ginny is short for Ginevra.'

Draco just shrugged and passed something to a house elf who took away his plate.

'What was that?' Ginny asked before she could stop herself.

'House elves love chocolate, I give it to them if they do a good job,' he replied casually.

'Why?'

'It's a reward. Rewards for good work are better in the long run than punishment for bad work. Besides, it's handy having the house elves like you… something you're are also obviously aware of.'

Ginny sat down at the table, leaving a decent gap between them. It was the first time she had been around the son of her father's bitterest rival alone and she decided to take advantage of his seemly open mood and their privacy: the house elves wouldn't repeat anything.

'Can I ask you a question?'

'You just did,' he replied with a smirk.

Ginny shot him a withering glare and he responded with a hand gesture to signal her to continue.

'You bullied me in my first year, but you haven't since. Why the change?'

'I found out about a certain diary in the school break between my second and third year: you've had more had enough grief from my family. Besides, something tells me it would be a bad idea,' he admitted with a speculative look towards her. 'Your turn to answer something, am I right in my assumption that it would be a bad idea?'

Ginny's eyes glinted. 'Maybe,' she said vaguely, 'I can throw a good hex.'

'Intuition tells me it is not your hexing ability in particular that I should be cautious of.'

'I thought only girls had intuition,' Ginny stated.

'Hmm, I daresay you have it in spades, but a few of us blokes have also been gifted with it. On that note, I will leave you to your dinner. Night… Ginevra.'

'Night, Malfoy,' Ginny said as a plate of food was placed in front of her, a delicious aroma surrounding her. Pulling a leftover chocolate out of her pocket, she gave it to the elf who immediately beamed at her and literally skipped away.

 _Huh, what do you know, Malfoy wasn't lying about the chocolate_.

* * *

As she bounced down the stairs for breakfast, she saw her brother pale-faced and shivering on the couch, Hermione and Harry at his sides. Ginny smothered her smug smile.

'What's wrong with Ron?' Ginny asked.

'His pillow turned into a spider last night,' Harry answered as Hermione gently rubbed circles on Ron's back as he whimpered at the word spider.

'Really? That's weird. How could that've happen?' Ginny asked.

'Someone must have done it as a joke and not realised that Ron is terrified of spiders,' Hermione reasoned.

'Everyone knows Ron is terrified of spiders, third year his boggart turned into a spider and he put roller skates on its legs, or something…' Ginny corrected.

'You mean someone did this intentionally!' Harry exclaimed in outrage. 'Malfoy! It must have been him.'

Ginny gave a doubtful look, wondering if it was better she encourage the accusation or not. On one hand, it let her off scot-free. On the other, it was likely that Malfoy would get Ron into trouble again when they confronted him, and Ron was already at risk of losing his prefect badge: he was to find out at breakfast if he was being demoted back to being a regular student.

Deciding that the spider was probably punishment enough, she reminded, 'We're in the Gryffindor common room, it had to have been a Gryffindor or someone who could gain access; no one would let Malfoy in here.'

Hermione nodded. 'She's right, Harry. I don't think it could have been Malfoy.'

Harry scowled and looked at Ron who was curled in a defensive ball.

'We'll find out who did this, Ron,' Hermione promised. 'In the meantime, how about some breakfast?'

'F-food?' Ron said, uttering his first clear words of the morning.

Ginny coughed to hide her amusement. At Hermione and Harry's questioning looks, she smiled and said, 'It's okay, Ron. Hermione is the brains of the Gryffindor tower, she'll figure this out.'

'Ginny's right, Ron. Hermione will find out who did this and they will be punished. And if Malfoy is involved – he'll be punished too,' Harry added.

Ginny rolled her eyes at Harry's persistence to blame the rival Slytherin.

'I need to collect my schedule, I'll see you lot at breakfast.' And then Ginny darted out of the portrait hole and went in search of her friends and sustenance.

* * *

When she arrived in the Great Hall, Ginny discovered that the story of Ron's pillow transformation had reached the other students.

The Slytherins were using their wands to create spider webs around the ceiling and dangling fake spiders from the creations.

The Hufflepuffs, deeming the additions a little too creepy for non-Halloween, were making the webbing glisten and sparkle.

The Ravenclaws, not to be outdone by their counterparts, were making the spiders dance and twirl with lifelike grace as they dropped from and returned to the netting.

The head students had yet to make an appearance and the teachers watched with bemusement from the head table; having not yet heard why the students were decorating the hall.

The Gryffindor students looked torn - not having the strong sense of loyalty that the Hufflepuffs did and unimpressed with Ron's show of terror - and they couldn't seem to decide if they should contribute to or vanish the handiwork.

Ginny sat down next to Kate and Luna.

'Is it true?' Kate immediately asked while Luna wound her hair around her wand to hold it in place.

'Ron sitting in the common room pale and shaking after his pillow turned into a spider? Yes.'

'Who did it?' Kate questioned.

Ginny allowed a smirk to cross her face to let her friends know exactly who had done the deed to traumatise Ron, then said loudly for the benefit of the surrounding students, 'No idea, Hermione and Harry are determined to find out though. Ron has only said one word since: "food".'

Ginny heard sniggering from the Slytherin table and she turned in her seat to make a show of glaring at them. She saw their eyes dart to the doorway and the laughter increased as a scream sounded. Ron had arrived and seen the decorations.

His response had created a flurry at the teachers' table, McGonagall vanishing the decorations that caused Ron's scream and looking over the hall sternly. As every house had contributed, including a few Gryffindors, she was unable to dish out punishments: although the glare she sent towards the Slytherin table clearly showed she wanted to blame at least them. Dumbledore sat in his chair, a frown on his face at the malicious turn to the impromptu decorations; although given who started it he surmised that he shouldn't have been surprised. Trelawney was commenting loudly enough for Ginny to hear that she had foreseen this and that Ron was dying of fright. Snape rolled his eyes at his wards and sneered at Ron, who was still cowering on the stone flooring.

When Hermione and Harry had hauled Ron from the breakfast hall to calm him down, Ginny returned to the Gryffindor table to collect her schedule. All her courses were focused to enhance her skills and ability in her career. Care of Magical Creatures (a must to figure out how to get passed them), Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced Charms, Advance Arithmancy, Advanced Defence against the Dark Arts (damnable pureblood paranoia), Herbology, Advanced Ancient Runes, and Potions. Glancing at her schedule she was surprised to see that she was listed in the seventh year potions class instead of sixth year.

Seeing Snape exiting the room, she jumped up and darted after him.

'Excuse me, Professor Snape,' she called respectfully once they had left view of the Great Hall.

Snape's robes coiled around him as he turned to face Ginny. 'What do you need, Miss Weasley?' he asked with irritation.

'My class schedule says I am in seventh year potions, I wanted to check if this was a mistake.'

'It is not. Joining the seventh year class is the advanced track. Very few are given this chance - you are the first Gryffindor to receive the opportunity in three years - I expect you to show your gratitude by working hard and achieving top marks. Next year you will re-join your former class, but you will study different material and assist anyone who has been given the same opportunity that you have been given this year by partnering them.'

Ginny could barely contain her excitement as Snape spoke.

 _This will be so useful!_

'Thank you, sir, I will.'

Snape sneered and stalked away from her and down the hallway, robes billowing once more.

* * *

As she prepared for her first class, Advanced Potions, Ginny realised a problem.

 _I don't have a seventh year potions book! And I can't share with another Gryffindor either, as Snape had said none of them had been advanced the previous year – oh Merde! That means I won't be able to sit with them either. I suppose I could probably just steal the library one, however it would be easy to figure out that I'm the culprit… after all, how many others would steal it!_

Twitching her nose, she resigned herself to getting in trouble in her first class and made her way to potions.

'Ginny, what are you doing here? You need to leave before Snape comes in and punishes you for being in the room when you shouldn't be.' Ron seemed back to fine form after food, and probably a calming potion.

'I am in the right place, Ron,' Ginny replied.

'Ginny, this is seventh year potions,' Hermione said slowly as she articulated each word carefully.

'And sixth year Advanced Potions,' Ginny replied.

'There is no Advanced Potions,' Hermione corrected slowly.

'There is, this is it,' Ginny said.

 _Bollocks. If I'm the first Gryffindor in three years to be offered the class, then Hermione's going to be pissed at being overlooked._

Thwack _._

The class jumped as Snape strode through the now open door. 'Everyone along the back wall. Now.'

The students scampered back and Snape stood at the front of the room.

'Welcome to seventh year Potions and sixth year Advanced Potions. You will be assigned seating based on your talent to ensure you can make the most of your time here. Mr Malfoy and Miss Weasley.' Snape pointed to the table in the front to the far side of the room.

'No!' Ron roared. 'My sister is not being partnered with the Ferret!'

'Ten points for interrupting me and ten points for disparaging a prefect, Mr Weasley. I will remind you that you are on very thin ice with your prefect position right now – do not tempt me. This is my class and I will run it how I see fit. Miss Weasley is in the advanced track and is assigned with the only person in this room who was advanced last year.'

Hermione raised her hand tentatively. Snape glared at her and ignored it. Looking back at his list, he continued, 'Mr Zabini and Miss Parkinson, table behind Mr Malfoy.'

Hermione began to wave her hand and bounce on her toes.

'Mr Nott and Ms Granger, behind them.'

'Professor, sir,' Hermione finally broke in. 'I didn't think Advanced Potions was offered last year.'

'Ten points from Gryffindor for interrupting. It was offered for people with talent. If you didn't spend so much of your time doing your fellow Gryffindors work for them, against my expressed ruling, you might have developed skill enough to join the class and your friends would not be so far behind in ability. Now go to your table.'

'I don't like the bac—'

'Ten points from Gryffindor for disobeying your professor. I don't care where you wish to sit, Miss Granger, you have been assigned a table. Sit there.'

Hermione walked stiffly towards the back row table and sat primly on her seat, edging it away from Theodore Nott who was openly sneering at her.

'Mr Potter and Mr Thomas, middle-front row table. Mr Crabbe and Mr Weasley, the table behind. Miss Brown and Mr Goyle, middle-back row table…'

Snape continued until everyone was seated and with a wave of his wand the instructions appeared in the board.

'Begin,' the professor commanded.

Ginny fidgeted next to Malfoy, unable to start without the book and seeing Malfoy only had a seventh year Advanced Potions book on the table next to him, she was stuck. Snape walked up to their desk and placed book in front of her, it said _Seventh Year Potions_.

'This is now yours, Miss Weasley. It is an edited version of your fellow classmates' text, it is for your use only, as the edits are mine. You can keep the book after the year has ended, but you will not be allowed to share it with anyone else. Clear?'

'Yes, sir,' Ginny replied.

'You will brew the same potions as your fellow classmates, however I expect you to finish first with the best potion. In addition, for every set assignment you will include eight extra inches on the edits in this textbook; the differences and the result.'

'Yes, sir,' Ginny repeated.

'Mr Malfoy will assist you in perfecting your technique, but he is here to do his own learning and will not be supervising your work. Mr Malfoy, complete the potion on page one. I will assign your assignments at the end of class.'

'Yes, Professor,' Malfoy said.

Snape turned away and Malfoy immediately opened his book, and after a glance at it, headed to the stores cupboard. Ginny picked up the book Snape had given her and quickly flipped through to the page noted in the instructions. As the pages whipped by, she could see they were cramped with hand-written notes. Looking at the ingredients, she made a mental list and headed to collect them: rushing when she saw others were already starting the potion, she didn't think Snape would consider getting late instructions from him as a good reason not to finish the potion before anyone else.

When she returned, Malfoy was already well on his way to creating his concoction. Pushing the thought aside, she started her preparations.

'Stop,' Malfoy instructed.

Ginny's hand paused as it hovered over the first ingredient.

'Put them in the order you need to add them first.'

'Why?'

'What do you think the reason is?'

'So I don't have to think about it later.'

'Never, ever stop thinking when creating a mixture, otherwise you'll blow up not only yourself, but me as well. So, I ask again, the reason?'

'To allow me to see where I'm up to at a glance and be better prepared.'

'Yes, it makes you faster as well. Organise them and then start. Make sure there is at least a one inch gap between each ingredient so that they don't become contaminated.'

Ginny nodded and did as instructed before starting her potions. She quickly realised she was faster as she moved with more order. She was careful to follow the hand-written notes in addition to the formal printed ones. Malfoy was pausing frequently to correct her: how to extract liquids from solids with more efficiency and effectiveness, how to better stir the mixture, and how to de-leg spiders more effectively.

Ginny paused only momentarily to consider if Snape had intentionally chosen a potion which included spiders, and then decided he had - especially with how his eyes were covertly focused on her twitching brother.

When Ginny finished her potion and took it to Snape before anyone else, he checked it and nodded as he wrote 'O' next to her name in the mark book. 'Don't forget to thank Mr Malfoy for the corrections.'

Ginny pursed her lips, but acknowledged that he had improved her work and so she would do as instructed, although she figured that Snape was just saying that to ensure she knew he was always watching.

Ginny cleaned up her side of the desk as Draco finished his own potion and took it to Snape. When he returned, she muttered a 'thanks' to Malfoy and started the assignment.

Malfoy nodded and replied, 'If you have questions on the edits, let me know and I'll explain.'

'Why are you being so helpful?' Ginny asked.

'It's part of the deal when you accept the advanced placement, so don't get any ideas - I don't like you - but I'll be damned if you're the reason I have to drop back to regular potions. And don't think you can blackmail me into anything with that hanging over my head: if you're an unreasonable pain, I will inform Snape and he will drop you from your advanced track instead.'

'Going to run to Snape over a big, bad Weasley?' Ginny mocked.

'If you waste my time and push your luck, yes.'

Ginny was slightly put out at his acquiescence to going for help, hoping to tease him more.

'Fine, truce?'

'Truce,' he agreed.

Ginny held out her hand to solidify the deal.

Malfoy looked at it with a raised eyebrow. 'Do you wash more regularly than your brother? I would hate to die of some common disease.'

'But a rare one is okay?' she quipped in return.

'It would at least be more interesting,' he replied with amusement.

'Do I smell like my brother?' Ginny asked sarcastically.

'Thankfully no, otherwise I would have to insist on a spell to keep the stench away while we worked.'

'He is still my brother,' Ginny scolded.

'You made the reference first,' Malfoy pointed out.

Ginny stilled as she thought about it, _damn, he's right_. 'Point taken.'

Malfoy shook her hand and then started to pile up his things. At Ginny's questioning look, he tilted his head towards the rest of the class who were gathering their items to also depart.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed the update! If you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you all for the favouriting, following, and reviews you have been posting! They are definitely excellent motivation and much appreciated!

To the reviewers: **IamaHPFan** [Thanks! Hmm, the pillow... if I told you I would have to set a basilisk on you and I can't do that too a loyal reviewer! It seems all I can say is a quote from BBC's Coupling 'You'll find out!' XD ]; **Johan Kira Expelliarmus** [Thank you!]; **AzaleaMarie** [Thanks! I'm glad to hear your thoughts on the character development and descriptions. Ginny... hmm, she loves her brother, but he tries her patience and so takes a leaf from the twins book on occasions. As for Hermione and Harry, they are Ron's friends more than hers in this story]; and **Neakco** [Thank you!].

* * *

Recap:

 _'He is still my brother,' Ginny scolded._

 _'You made the reference first,' Malfoy pointed out._

 _Ginny stilled as she thought about it: damn, he's right. 'Point taken.'_

 _Malfoy shook her hand and then started to pile up his things. At Ginny's questioning look, he tilted his head towards the rest of the class who were gathering their items to also depart._

* * *

'I can't believe Snape can do that to you!' Ron ranted loudly when Ginny sat opposite him and Hermione for lunch. 'You're a Weasley and he is a Malfoy!'

 _Oh, Merlin, I do not want to listen to this for the rest of the year!_

'It's fine, Ron: honestly Malfoy has been okay,' Ginny attempted to sooth her hot-headed brother. 'He mostly just concentrated on his own work unless I did something wrong in the potion.'

Ron scoffed harshly.

'I suppose everything you do is wrong. I saw him constantly correcting you. Smug bastard!'

'He only offered constructive criticism, Ron, and it did help. Did you see how fast I produced a good potion?'

'He's just lulling you into a false sense of security before he tricks you. You are so gullible,' Ron groused.

 _I love you Ron, but sometimes you are awfully like a dragon with an egg! Any chance we can distract you with your third favourite topic?_

'Where's Harry?' Ginny asked abruptly.

 _Okay, maybe not as smooth a transition as I was hoping for there._

'Why are you asking about Harry?' Hermione probed with a scrutinising expression.

'Merlin, Ginny, do you still have a crush on him!' Ron said brashly.

Ginny blushed and hissed, 'No I do not, and kindly keep your voice down I you are going to make ridiculous statements!'

'Then why are you asking about him?' Hermione pressed.

'I just wanted a different topic of conversation—'

'And Harry is the first that came to mind,' Ron finished with a knowing nod at Hermione.

 _No, the third – as anything Hermione is your favourite topic (but she is here), the evils of Malfoy your second, and your beloved friend is your third… still haven't figured out if it is the evils of Snape, food, or the Cannons which has taken out fourth though—_

'Ginny, it is polite to pay attention if you're going to ask questions,' Hermione reprimanded.

'She was probably daydreaming about Harry,' Ron answered with an eye roll.

'Oh, for Merlin's sake, I am not interested in Harry. I was eleven when I had that crush – it is time you moved on. Merde, you realise I have had boyfriends since then, don't you?'

'Weren't they to make Harry jealous?' Ron asked with his eyebrow furrowed as he scratched his head.

'No!' Ginny replied, appalled he could think she would date a guy when she wasn't actually interested in him. Feeling the need to punish him, Ginny smacked Ron's hand away from his head. 'Stop scratching, the Slytherins already call you an orang-utan.'

'Malfoy tell you that?' Ron sneered.

 _Well I suppose that's my fault for bringing Slytherin's into the conversation._

Restraining her movements, she turned to face Hermione directly and folded her arms. 'My brother is an idiot.'

Hermione pursed her lips. 'That is unkind, Ginny.'

'Oh, for the love of Merlin,' Ginny snapped and moved to stand. A hand settled on her shoulder and pressed her back down in her chair. Glancing at the owner of the offending hand, Ginny was faced with Harry.

'What?' she snapped, unimpressed at his blatant show of domination.

He quickly removed his hand and lifted them into a surrender position.

'Whoa, sorry, Ginny. What's wrong with you?'

'Idiots,' came her clipped reply.

'Malfoy bothering you in class was he?' Harry replied in a knowing tone.

'Why does everything have to be about Malfoy‽ No, those two,' Ginny replied with a sharp gesture to Ron and Hermione.

'You are defending Malfoy and angry with your brother and Mione? Did Malfoy make you drink something or point his wand at you? Guys, perhaps we should take Ginny to see Madam Pomfrey.'

 _One track minds, all the three of them._

Ginny released a hissing breath and moved further down the table, intently ignoring the frequent looks from her brother and his friends.

 _I can understand Ron being ridiculous thanks to his misplaced urge to always protect me; he is one of my big brothers. But the other two should be voices of reason… although, I suppose Harry never is when Malfoy is mentioned. But Hermione! What is wrong with her? Surely she isn't acting this way because of the advanced placement in potions! _

Kate skipped over from the Ravenclaw table and sat beside her. 'What's up?'

'My potions grade,' Ginny replied.

'Huh?'

'You asked what was up.'

'I was expecting an explanation on when you decided to move away from the Golden Trio and why they are watching your every movement and whispering.'

'Mmph.'

'Come on, tell your best friend Kate what happened.'

Ginny rolled her eyes and smiled. 'Fine, best friend Kate.'

Kate replied with a toothy grin.

'Snape put me in Advanced Potions—'

'There is an Advanced Potions class!' Kate yelped.

'Apparently so – Snape selects the students, one this year and one last year. Basically, I'm now in the same potions class as Ron, Hermione, and Harry.'

'How did the Golden Girl take that after not being selected as Head Girl?'

'Not too bad actually,' Ginny replied thoughtfully.

Kate snorted her disbelief.

'I'm being honest; I did expected more bitter comments.'

'It's only been a day – see what she says if you overtake her marks.'

Ginny grimaced as she thought what the next Christmas at the Burrow would be like if she did.

'Anyway, you were saying…' Kate prompted.

'Right, so Snape partnered me with last year's advanced student.'

Kate held up her hand. 'Don't tell me,' she commanded as she narrowed her eyes and swung them over the students. Quickly skimming passed the Hufflepuffs (no chance they could handle such close proximity to Snape), over the Ravenclaws (she would have heard if they had been advanced), pausing on the Gryffindors (before dismissing them, Hermione had been reputedly the best Gryffindor in potions), and ending on the Slytherin table (the only one left.) She carefully eyed the members, her attention falling on Malfoy who was talking with Snape as the man passed the student seating.

'You're partnered with Malfoy,' Kate stated.

'I don't know why I'm surprised you figured it out, you are, after all, a Ravenclaw.'

Kate flipped her hair over her shoulder and smiled smugly. 'But I am brilliant even for a Ravenclaw.'

'I'm not one to dispute your brilliance, Kate,' Ginny replied.

'So, I take it that your brother doesn't like the partnership.'

'That is a rather significant understatement. I tried to distract him by asking where Harry was, but that just caused him and Hermione to go on a "Ginny has a crush on Harry" rant, before finally returning to muttering about Malfoy. It was so irritating! When I tried to leave, Harry stopped me, and now all three think Malfoy has used magic on me to make me defend him.'

'You defended Malfoy?'

'Not really, I just said that he was okay to work with; to be fair, he was fine, useful even,' Ginny said with a sigh.

'Why didn't you just ignore them like you normally do?'

'It was irritating and I called a truce with Malfoy; that will hardly work if they are constantly reminding me how much they hate him.'

'I see your point, although my question is; why don't you hate him anymore?'

'Let's say I'm ambivalent. I neither like nor dislike him. I'm not going to hold grudges against him for teasing me in first year,' Ginny ranted.

Kate froze.

'What?' Ginny asked, startled by her friend.

'He hasn't bothered you since first year?' she asked suspiciously.

'No.'

'But you are a Weasley – I thought it was taught in Malfoy 101 to the lives of all Weasleys miserable for at least the last three hundred years.'

'He basically said the diary being planted on me was enough trouble from his family.'

'Huh, who knew Malfoy actually had a fragment of empathy in his body.'

Ginny shrugged. 'Perhaps, or it could be self-preservation; he probably thinks I'm near my tolerance threshold and if he irritates me he will face my full wrath.'

Kate broke into laughter at that. 'Much more likely,' she agreed between chuckles, 'you are formidable. Smart boy to realise.'

Feeling better, Ginny finally took notice of the other students she was sitting by. They were third years and all looked rather pale. Ginny shuffled over in her seat to close the wide space between her and a third year. Nudging the kid's shoulder, she asked in a kind tone, 'What's wrong?'

The kid jumped and looked at her with wide eyes, his face paling further.

'I don't know anything, I swear!' the kid replied.

Exchanging a confused look with Kate, Ginny returned her attention to the kid.

'I believe you, but what are you talking about?' she asked with a sweet smile.

The kid eyed her for a moment, colour returning. 'The Boy-Who-Lived said we would be in trouble if we didn't speak up if we knew something about your brother's pillow being turned into a spider.'

'Harry threatened you!' Ginny asked in shock.

'No,' another third year answered with a reproachfully look at the kid, 'Jamie here just gets a little anxious. The Boy-Who-Lived just reminded us of the school rules and importance to speak up about cruel pranks.'

Ginny nodded, reassured Harry hadn't gone off the deep end trying to discover the culprit.

 _Harry was probably just been a bit overzealous in his questioning: poor kids. I'll have to remind him to not scary the midgets._

Patting the kid softly on the shoulder, she said, 'Don't worry about it. Besides, Ron is fine now. See, he is sitting down the table stuffing food in his mouth.'

The third years followed her gesture and nodded.

Grabbing an apple, Ginny tilted her head towards the exit. Kate nodded and followed her out. Meadow soon skipping out to join them with Luna at her side.

'Anyone share me herbology class next lesson?' Meadow asked.

'I do,' Ginny answered.

'Great! You are my partner – you know how to handle the worst plants!' Meadow replied, looping her arm through Ginny's and holding on tightly.

Ginny laughed. 'I'm not that good.'

'Ha! You have never had an injury in that class – unlike the rest of us.'

A thoughtful look stole over Ginny's face. _Hmm, I might need to reconsider my class performances to avoid too much attention. While the Ministry won't even suspect a student for the Hiltworth theft, it isn't a good idea to be flawless in all classes. Damn, this is going to hurt…_

.*.

That evening after dinner, Ginny was sitting in the common room finishing an essay. Seeing her brother dart up the stairs to the boys dormitories, she reluctantly put down her quill.

 _Now is as good a time as any, I suppose._

She stood up and wound her way through the students to take Ron's seat at the chess table opposite Harry. Hermione, sitting on the sofa next to the chess table, raised her eyebrow at Ginny.

Ginny rolled her eyes in response and focused on Harry.

'Harry,' she began.

'Hey, Gin, what's up?' he asked with a grin.

'I sat with some third years at lunch; I think you had been speaking with them earlier.'

'Yeah, about Ron's pillow. Why do you mention it?' he asked, resetting the chess board.

'They are third years and are completely in awe of you. I think, next time, you need to go a little softer on them. They looked really pale when you left.'

Harry paused and looked up at her. 'They were? But I only asked what they knew.'

Hermione closed her book and leaned in to hear better.

'And told them they would be in trouble if they didn't share any information…' Ginny prompted.

Harry winced. 'They seemed like they were holding back.'

'They are third years, Harry. Third years that hold you in complete reverence,' Ginny explained with a hint of exasperation.

'Third years?' Hermione questioned.

'Yeah, why?' Harry asked.

'Harry, I told you that the spell needed an above third year skill level to master,' Hermione scolded.

'It does?' Ginny asked, forcing her voice to stay steady.

 _Damn foolish mistake!_

'Yes,' Hermione replied confidently. 'I am certain. It had to have been a Gryffindor above third year.'

Ginny swallowed.

 _Oh she is good – Hermione, you can never work in the investigations area of the Ministry!_

'But I'm sure you could have done the spell in second year,' Harry reasoned.

 _Harry with the save – thank you!_

'Probably, but the majority could not,' Hermione countered.

'But it is possible,' Harry replied petulantly.

'Possible, but highly unlikely,' Hermione stated.

'Anyway,' Ginny broke in, 'just go lightly on the midgets, they aren't made to withstand their hero's reprimands.'

'Yes, I think it is best if I'm the one to speak to people from here on,' Hermione suggested, patting Harry on the arm.

Harry frowned, but nodded.

'And don't call them midgets, Ginny,' Hermione added.

'What's going on?' Ron asked as he reappeared at the table, his voice higher than normal and wobbling as his eyes focused on Hermione's hand which was still on Harry's arm.

Hermione snatched her hand away like it had touched Blubberpus and instantly answered, 'Just divvying up some investigation tasks. Ginny, did you want to help?'

 _Oh the irony._

'Absolutely!' she replied. 'But let me know what I should do, I really need to finish my essay.'

'Of course,' Hermione agreed, before adding in a hopeful tone, 'Did you need a hand with it?'

'No thanks,' Ginny replied determinedly obtusely and vacated Ron's chair.

'Oh,' Hermione replied, smile dropping slightly.

'Toddles,' Ginny said with a wave of her fingers and quickly slipped back into the crowd.

.*.

When the weekend finally arrived and Ginny was delighted.

Ron and his friends generally didn't take much notice of her; however since the potions class debacle, they had been hovering nearby during evenings and any joint free time. Ron had persistently glared at Malfoy every chance he had and threatened him a few times – each threat had been caught by one of the head students and he had been given detention. The only reprieve in their attention was during her trip to the hospital wing after a herbology incident. Strategically, Ginny had chosen to fail against the same plant that she had successfully passed in the Hiltworth maze, but she had regretfully discovered that she was actually allergic to the flying dart-like prickles spawning from the wretched plant. Meadow had apologised for jinxing her, but the twinkle in her eyes during the apology left Ginny in complete doubt of her friend's sincerity.

So now she had given the Trio the slip, and was healed, she was standing at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower looking upwards as she cast a gripping spell on her hands. Her battered, but effective, broom on the grass and ready if needed.

She had been getting twitchy with nothing physical to do and she needed a challenge. Climbing the outside of the Astronomy Tower seemed like a good one, at least until she found a new target for acquisition: although, she had to be careful when at school.

Breaking in and stealing items in an area that only students and teachers could access could help pinpoint a thief, and she wished for no clues to her identity. She didn't even do the tripe 'leave a note or symbol at the crime scene to claim the theft and taunt the Ministry'. How stupid could you be to leave an indication of every crime you had committed; if she was caught for one, she would be charged for them all! Not to mention if she used something to identify her thefts, then it could help discover her. She didn't want to narrow the field of possibilities and allow the authorities to close in on her. Ever.

Despite this desire, she had been named by _The Daily Prophet_ : they called her _The Invisible Niffler_. And they had managed to correctly identify three thefts as hers, and given her credit for a couple of others. Fortunately, the only link she had with a niffler was a love of items that didn't belong to her. Her patronus was a jaguar (a skill she learnt secretly). She was very proud of this form, as it showed her to be cunning, intelligent, stealthy, and nimble.

Rolling the tension out of her shoulders, Ginny took a strong grip on the protruding stones and began to hoist herself up the wall. Finding holds was laughably easy, however the strong breeze made staying on the wall a little harder.

After swinging herself onto the roof for a rest, she wiped the sheen of sweat away from her eyes.

'Interesting skill you have there, Ginevra,' a voice drawled with amusement.

Ginny glanced around and saw Malfoy sitting on a broom that hovered just above the roof top.

'Malfoy,' Ginny nodded in acknowledgement.

'How did you scale the tower so easily?'

'Gripping charms help,' she replied vaguely.

'You look calmer.'

'Exercise has that effect.'

'What if you fell?'

'My broom is on the ground: I can summon it if I needed. Now go away, Malfoy, I want to enjoy the view in peace.'

Malfoy rose his pale eyebrow at the order, but after a glance towards the zooming figures on the Quidditch Pitch, he gave a mock salute and whooshed away.

Ginny sat and looked at the view. The wind, stronger on the roof, whipped her hair around. It was beautiful up here, more so because of the way she had arrived, peaceful and serene. She sucked in a deep breath of the fresh air.

 _Exhilarating!_

Glancing over the grounds, she watched the dots of students moving around. A tentacle rose from the lake and splashed people near the water's edge. The people skittered backwards, their shrieks just audible.

 _Now there's a thought_.

Ginny pondered the possibility. Obviously she couldn't keep this treasure, but she could steal it and put it somewhere else to be found. Somewhere it would be safe.

Ginny began to feel the tingle of anticipation grow inside her. She reapplied the gripping spell and clambered quickly back down the wall.

If she was going to steal the Hogwarts Giant Squid, then she needed to do some research.

* * *

 **A/N:  
I was going to make you all guess her target, but decided that was too mean after being unable to update recently; so, instead, I'll ask if you like the target XD  
As always, if you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you all for the favouriting, following, and reviews; it is all excellent encouragement and greatly appreciated!

To the reviewers: **IamaHPFan** [The trio can excel at that skill ;) Draco taking part - maybe, maybe not XD ]; **Mooshadow17** [Thank you!]; **Guest** [I think you will like his effect]; and **Neakco** [hmm, interesting guess - you'll find out!].

* * *

Recap:

 _Ginny pondered the possibility. Obviously she couldn't keep this treasure, but she could steal it and put it somewhere else to be found. Somewhere it would be safe._

 _Ginny began to feel the tingle of anticipation grow inside her. She reapplied the gripping spell and clambered quickly back down the wall._

 _If she was going to steal the Hogwarts Giant Squid, then she needed to do some research._

* * *

An hour later, Ginny flicked through the books in front of her as she searched for information on giant squids. She had skipped breakfast in her eagerness to start researching and had discovered it was immune to many magical spells, which, rather than disappointing her, delighted her. The more difficult the challenge, the greater the accomplishment.

Glancing up to give her eyes a break, she saw Hermione winding her way towards her desk with a pile of books under her arm. Ginny's nose twitched, Hermione was clearly looking for a study partner, a task she had no desire of providing. She swished her wand and subtly changed the books she had collected to a different topic; it would not do to be seen researching magical water creatures before the squid disappeared.

Hermione was now only ten broomsticks away, nearing ever closer with a determined look.

'Ginny! I am so glad to see you taking your studies seriously.'

'I have always taken them seriously, Hermione.'

'Yes, but I'm glad to see you studying extra hard at potions, you must be finding it hard to keep up.'

Ginny raised her eyebrow at the girl. In all their classes, so far, Ginny was the first to finish the potion (with the occasional exception of Malfoy) and her marks had been all O's.

'Which is why,' Hermione continued, 'I'm going to tutor you in everything that I've learnt, to help you. I noticed, for example, that in the first class you de-legged the spiders in a way not recommended in the textbook.'

'Thanks, Hermione, however if I need a study partner it will be Malfoy.'

'What!' Hermione choked.

Ginny cringed. _Probably shouldn't have let that titbit slide through._

Ginny assumed a patronising tone, the best way to stop Hermione in her tracks, and said, 'Professor Snape said that if I require assistance in potions class, it is Malfoy who must assist me; given he was the last advanced student and has already complete the information that I am studying.'

'Malfoy would never help you.'

'He has already offered his assistance if I need it and he will do so properly, unless he wants Professor Snape angry at him.'

Hermione looked at her as if she thought she was being naïve. Ginny did not appreciate the sentiment being turned towards her and added, 'I know you, Harry, and Ron have a feud with Malfoy, however I do not; I haven't in years. And if he is as good at potions as Professor Snape obviously thinks, I'll benefit from this arrangement. My learning comes first, Hermione, and I won't give up a more experienced tutor or the one assigned to me by a professor.'

Hermione sniffed. 'Well, since Professor Snape is instant, I suppose you should do as instructed, although you were using the wrong technique. You just needed to change the way you placed the scalpel and-'

 _Enough!_

'Hermione,' Ginny cut the older girl off in a slightly clipped tone, 'I am satisfied with the outcome of my technique and have no desire for a different one.'

'But you are using the wrong one! You could lose marks in your NEWTs doing that.'

'The NEWTs only mark on the outcome of the potion, not how you reach it, so please stop, Hermione; I need to get this assignment finished,' Ginny replied with a hint of steel in her voice as she gestured to the scroll in front of her with her quill; something else she had also cast a spell on.

'Oh, do you need help?'

With exasperation, Ginny replied, 'No, Hermione, I don't need help - just peace so I can concentrate.'

Hermione's head jerked backwards as she gasped, but by this stage Ginny just wanted her and her determined opinions as far away as possible. She would be damned if she allowed Hermione to boss her around like Ron did.

'Very well,' Hermione replied in a strained voice as she collected her belongings and walked away.

'Now that was interesting,' Malfoy's voice drawled as he leaned around the corner of the nearest bookshelf.

 _Oh, he would be the one to witness that_ , Ginny lamented grudgingly.

'My, you do like to make sudden appearances. Eavesdropping were you? How very low.'

Malfoy shrugged. 'I needed to speak with you and didn't want to have to find you later.'

 _Alright, I'll bite._

'What about?' Ginny asked, returning her focus to the parchment in front of her.

Draco moved forward and pulled her parchment away to look at it as he replied, 'Professor Snape has a potion project that he would like our assistance with; we need to be in the dungeons in thirty minutes.'

'Then why didn't you interrupt?' Ginny asked, yanking her work back from the nosey blond and putting it into her bag, then she waved her wand and sent the books to their shelves.

'I figured we had a few spare minutes and listening to you tell the bush-haired beaver to shove off was as good a way as any to pass the time.' Rubbing his hand where the parchment had cut his finger slightly.

'Her teeth are perfect now, so you can't justifiably call her a beaver anymore.'

'I confess I haven't looked close enough to know,' Draco replied carelessly.

'Well they are, so you need to update your material, so better yet, just grow up.'

Draco shrugged.

 _Stop shrugging!_ She thought as she clenched her teeth.

Throwing the last item in her bag, she stalked passed him and said, 'Aren't you coming?'

She missed Malfoy's amused smirk.

'Now that you have finally gathered your things together, I suppose so, Ginevra.'

Ginny swung around and poked him in the chest repeatedly and ordered, 'Do. Not. Call. Me. That.'

Draco brushed her hand aside and leaned forward as he slowly snarled, 'Don't do that again.'

 _Fuck._

Ginny blanched and leaned back slightly at the look on his face: intimidated despite herself. Raising her chin, she tried to shrug it off and said, 'Whatever.' Then swiftly turned on her heel and flounced away.

Draco scowled and followed her.

* * *

Ginny's arms ached as she ground the beetle eyes for what was coming upon the third hour without a break in absolute silence. She rolled her shoulders and wrists, then flexed her arms; trying to relieve the stiffness.

 _No luck._

Her movement caught Snape's attention and he came over to her and inspected the beetle eyes.

'Not fine enough, keep going.'

Ginny nodded, reminding herself that she was learning an important lesson on how to prepare ingredients properly for optimum results.

She caught sight of Malfoy at another table preparing different ingredients that required more complex execution. He looked so different right now from when they had been in the library that she almost wondered if she had imagined his terrifying manner.

 _But I'm sure I remembered it right. Note to self, never steal something Malfoy is fond of – he will kill me if he finds out—although was it me ordering him around or the poking his shoulder he really didn't like?_

Glancing at him again, she realised he seemed to be unconsciously rubbing where she'd poked him.

 _Hmm, maybe he is injured and I accidently poke the sore point…_

A few moments later, she saw Professor Snape place a vial in front of him.

 _What is that?_

She craned her neck, but still couldn't see the label. To Ginny's absolute surprise, Malfoy uncorked the vial and drank the potion in one swift gulp, not even looking at it.

 _What the?_

Professor Snape saw her watching and glowered at her. Ginny redirected her attention to the beetle eyes, not that it required such focus.

 _I wonder what's wrong with Malfoy. And how does Professor Snape know? Does he know? Maybe he was just guessing. No, he wouldn't have given Malfoy a potion without knowing what was needed. And Malfoy wouldn't have taken the potion if he had any doubt about if he should. Would he? No, of course not, he is one of the top potion students in the school; clearly he is not stupid._

Professor Snape didn't release them for another hour, most of which she had spent still grinding the eyes and trying to think of why Malfoy was injured. She now had a new appreciation for why some prepared ingredients were so expensive and vowed never to grumble over the additional cost in the future, but she now had at least twenty possible ways Malfoy could have been injured.

 _So which is it?_ She thought as when wandered to the kitchens to grab a bite to eat, since Snape had kept them working over lunch. _Quidditch injury? No, surely I would have heard about that from the gossips. Class injury? No, again the gossips would have been all over that. There was that rumour a while ago about his parents… but it's been ages since he was home, could he have been hurt that badly that it still effects him? Hmm, maybe there is something going on in Slytherin, they don't gossip about their own. Or maybe he just fell down some stairs…_

* * *

After her make-do lunch in the kitchens, Ginny found Luna and Kate sitting in the warm sunshine by the lake. Meadow soon joined them - bounding up with exuberance that had the non-Slytherin first and second years scuttling away with uncertainty.

'Guess what!' she exclaimed gleefully.

'What?' Ginny said in fake excitement to match.

Meadow swatted at her head in retaliation, missing when Ginny ducked.

'Draco Malfoy has just been announced as Slytherin's quidditch captain!'

'And?' Kate asked.

'And he has put up a notice for tryouts this afternoon!'

'So?' Kate asked again, still not seeing why this was so exciting.

'So, it wasn't limited to just guys; it was an open invite. He wants the girls in Slytherin to tryout as well!'

'They weren't allowed to before?' Ginny asked in surprise.

'Not last year. The year before that I had to beg just to be allowed to fly in the tryouts: they rejected me before I even got to show them my beater skills.'

'How the hell can they get away with such sexism‽' Kate replied in shock.

'Well they don't usually win the Quidditch Cup, so I suppose that shows the impact of cutting out half the possibilities at the start. Professor Snape has always left how the tryouts are held to the captain, given the captain choses the team anyway: a bit of a pathetic approach really.'

'Do you think Malfoy will give you a fair chance?' Ginny asked.

'I'm not sure, but if I can show them what I can do, then I think I have a good chance of getting on the team,' Meadow replied while bouncing on her toes. 'Anyway, I'm off to get in some last minute practise, wish me luck!'

'Good luck,' the three girls called in unison, as there friend skipped towards the Quidditch Pitch.

'Are you two interested on watching?' Ginny asked, curious to see what the tryouts would be like. She had refrained last year from watching other teams as she was on the Gryffindor team, but she wasn't planning to continue this year – a Quidditch injury could end her career: while she enjoyed playing, it didn't give her the trill that her career did.

'Yes, I want to know just how big of a muppet the Slytherin captains are,' Kate replied.

'It could be the Numpty-inducing Purple Bugs which are causing the Slytherin captains to make those decisions, I'd like to see if they are at the Quidditch Pitch during the selection,' Luna added.

Ginny gave Luna a bemused smile and, since it was what she wanted, led the way to the pitch.

The three settled themselves in the stand section usually reserved for Ravenclaws, waving to Meadow when she swooped by. They watched the girl twirl and spin for an hour, before the other Slytherins began to appear, Meadow gliding gracefully to the ground when the new captain made an appearance.

Malfoy glanced around at the splattering of spectators, looking for those he knew were players on other teams.

'Ginevra, you planning on taking information back to your house team?' Draco called up; not having to shout thanks to the charms on the pitch outside of games. The charms allowed people to hear others easily - to ensure warnings about rogue bludgers and corrections on technique could be heard during practise - across the play area.

'I'm not playing this year,' she replied.

'If you are lying, I'll make your life hell,' he threatened.

'How will you do that?' she challenged.

'Do you really want me to say that in an amplified area?' he called back with amusement evident in his voice.

 _Hmm, point taken._

'Stop being paranoid, I won't be telling,' Ginny returned.

'Well, fair warning, there is a secrecy charm on the stands – so I'd strongly suggest no one talks; the consequences will be more than you would like to pay,' Draco warned, eyes sweeping across the spectators. A few shuffled uncomfortably, but none left.

Draco's gaze turned back to the competitors and she heard him order the fifty hopeful Slytherins with brooms into the air for a flying ability test.

He quickly culled twenty players who had trouble manoeuvring on the broom. Ginny and Kate were pleased to see that he had actually only pulled those who couldn't fly well, not targeting the girls. Luna explained that the Numpty-inducing Purple Bugs weren't around today.

 _Nice to know he is only a prat, rather than a sexist prat._

The dismissed players slunk to the stands and settled down to watch the team be picked – eager to figure out how to improve for the future.

'Those who want to be keepers, in front of me. Chasers, to my left. Seekers, behind me. Beaters, grab a bat and on my right.'

The players immediately diverged. Meadow was quick to grab a bat from the pile, she was one of seven who did.

Three players lined up for the seeker position.

 _Pretty brave to try out for the seeker position, given it's been Malfoy's regular position since he joined the team in his second year._

Draco ran some quick tests, low to the ground to ensure that all the keepers and chasers could catch and throw a ball in the air, all the beaters could hit and aim balls, and the seekers could actually see the snitch.

Once assured there wouldn't be any major accidents in the air, he organised two teams of rotating players so that everyone would have to play in the chaos that was quidditch.

Students who had never played in an actual game immediately became apparent, they were constantly getting surprised and hit by other players and bludgers: Draco sent them to the stands with instructions to check in at the hospital wing.

Soon they were down to just over two teams.

There was a brilliant seeker, and an unexceptional one.

 _I still don't know why they are bothering – as Captain, Malfoy has to play._

There were three stand-out beaters, Meadow was one of them, but they were pretty much tied for skill.

Four good chasers, two brilliant chasers, and the rest were okay.

 _Wow, those two are impressive – might even have a chance to go pro. Although the brunette is a bit of a ball hog._

And two very mediocre keepers.

 _Looks like they will have to catch the snitch if they ever want to win._

Draco then altered the team groups, moving the better players to one team, occasionally calling out team changes with the less talented members.

 _He actually pulled a ball-hogging brilliant chaser off the better team, which actually resulted in improved outcomes for the player's former team. Is he actually choosing a team who work well together over a group of star players? Okay, that's actually quite smart: there is no point in having a team that can't work together, no matter how talented they are… just look at the problems Cormac caused._

Draco halted the game and they all flew to one set of hoops. Draco sent the first keeper to protect them and lined up the chasers to toss the ball through the hoops, the three beaters were directed to aim for the keeper.

The first keeper saved three of the ten throws. The second keeper saved six of the throws. Then Draco flew forward.

 _Is he changing position?_

He saved the first and second throws, missed the third, and then saved the rest.

 _He just managed to stop nine of the throws – with three beaters aiming at him! Gryffindor will be in for a nasty surprise – no wonder he threatened everyone at the start!_

Ginny could see the shoulders of the other two slump. It was clear to everyone that they had been seriously outshone. On the other hand, she noticed the good seeker was noticeably delighted. The least skilled keeper drifted slowly to the stands to join his fallen housemates, not even bothering to wait for Draco to send him on his way.

After three hours, Draco called the players to the ground.

'Okay, the team is myself as keeper, Lloyd as seeker, Meadow and Alexis as beaters, and Tobias, Merilda and Erustus as chasers. The rest of you who were just playing, you are the second line team. You will train with us at every second session and have your own sessions to develop your skills for next year. If there is an injury in the official team, you will be called on to fill that position until the player can return – which means you also need to learn all the manoeuvres and plays.'

The second team widened their eyes.

'There is going to be a back-up team?' one of them asked.

'It will be a good way to develop you all for the future and give us the advantage if someone lands themselves in detention or the hospital wing before a match,' Draco reasoned, before lowering his voice and adding, 'Any of you lot get a detention during a match for something that is not an accident and you will be cut from the team.'

All heads quickly nodded.

'Alright, thanks everyone for trying out, keep the new team line-up under wraps. Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I have things to do. See you thirteen at practise tomorrow morning at six am sharp.'

The group groaned in reply as Draco left them to their commiserations.

Meadow flew up to re-join the three.

'I can't believe I am finally on the team,' she squealed, the other three wincing at the ear piercing sound thanks to the audio charms.

* * *

 **A/N: Ooh, why is Draco taking potions and how will Ginny figure it out? Any guesses? If you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you all for the favouriting, following, and reviews you have been posting! Happy reading!

To the reviewers: **IamaHPFan** [Hehe, you'll find out! ;) ]; **Guest** [Thank you!]; and **Neakco** [Haha, no Draco was just preparing ingredients, not a potion or antidote... so what was the potion?].

* * *

Recap:

 _Meadow flew up to re-join the three._

 _'I can't believe I am finally on the team,' she squealed, the other three wincing at the ear piercing sound thanks to the audio charms._

* * *

Ginny headed back to the common room that evening, happy for her friend and excited at the information she had just found in the library about giant squids, the information took her one step closer to her goal.

She slipped into the room with no-one noticing and summoned a potions book from her room, settling down to read it by the fire.

The cushion descended next to her as someone sat down very close, she could feel the warmth of their body radiating towards her.

Twisting her head, she saw familiar scruffy hair and glasses with magnified orbs staring at her expectantly.

'Hi, Harry,' Ginny said.

'Hey, Ginny,' he answered.

Silence fell over them as Ginny waited for him to say why he was sitting there. She started to nibble her cheek as she waited.

Harry shifted slightly and ran his hand through his hair, tousling it so it was even messier.

'Did you need something, Harry?' Ginny asked expectantly with a significant glance to her homework.

'I was wondering…'

'Yes?'

'I was… err….'

Ginny pursed her lips and let out a slow breath quietly.

'I…' Harry looked at her face and flushed slightly, then hurriedly said, 'Oh, I heard you saw the Slytherin tryouts. Who is the new team?'

'Harry, I can't tell you that: you know the team line-ups are never announced until next fortnight.'

'Yeah, but you saw the team. Come on, it will help us, don't you want Gryffindor to win?'

'Of course I do, but I can't tell you, Harry.'

'Why not? Did Malfoy threaten you or something?'

 _Yep._

'I'm not scared of Malfoy,' Ginny replied confidently.

 _Much_.

'Why are you so keen to know anyway, are you Gryffindor captain or something?' Ginny asked.

'McGonagall is still making her decision,' Harry replied with a slump in his shoulders. 'Are you sure everything is alright with Malfoy?'

'Of course, but I don't think that is why you really came over here,' Ginny prompted, eager to change the subject.

'No, it's not. You know me so well, Ginny,' Harry said softly, leaning towards her slightly.

 _What in Hades is he doing!_

Ginny subtly shuffled back into the side of her chair to maintain the distance and pushed a polite look on her face.

'Ginny, you really are amazing, pretty, and smart. I was wondering, will you go out with me?' Harry asked.

Ginny immediately winced at the thought of kissing a guy she now considered a brother.

'Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry.'

'What‽ Why?'

'I'm sorry, because I don't feel that way about you anymore; and so I can't go out with you,' she answered gently.

'But-but, I thought you loved me!' he whispered.

'I did. I do… but as a brother.'

'You're wrong, please just give us a chance, Ginny.'

Ginny shook her head slowly, which contrasted dramatically with her frantically beating heart.

'For me, it's like I'd be dating a brother, my own flesh and blood. Like incest, Harry.'

'But it's not! We aren't related. At all!'

'I know that logically, but it doesn't feel that way. I'm really sorry, Harry.'

'Is there someone else, is that it?' Harry asked in a hurt tone.

'No, there is no-one else. I'm sorry, Harry, really I am.'

'Yeah, alright,' he said, running his hand through his hair again. 'Look, can we keep this between us?'

'Of course,' Ginny immediately agreed.

'Right, well, I'm gonna go,' Harry muttered as he stood and quickly departed.

 _Where did that come from? Did I really miss that he likes me in that way now? How could I be so blind? Oh wait – a huge load of school work and a target of the Giant Squid._

* * *

Ginny sat in the library, shuffling through page after dusty page, searching for favourite foods of giant squids. She needed to build a trust with it and this would be a good way to start.

 _Pineapples! Really? Hmm, whatever._

She jotted the food onto her growing list of items to try. Getting some of these would be hard, but she'd figure it out – besides, that just added to the fun.

 _Gillyweed? But it can already breathe underwater._

Ginny gave a mental shrug and also added that one to the list.

 _Professor Snape's stores, here I come._

She always enjoyed breaking into Professor Snape's storeroom. His expressions the next day were a riot, especially in class as he tried to intimidate hordes of students to figure out who looked guilty. He had never figured it out, of course, and that seemed to make him even madder every time. She occasionally stole something, just to slip it back into the store cupboard the following day. Those ones were the best: he would be irate for a day and then bewildered the next, and all the while the students would be tiptoeing around him, fearful of erupting the formidable teacher's mood swings upon themselves for some misdemeanour.

'That is quite a diabolical grin you have there, Ginevra,' a voice drawled behind her.

Ginny jumped in her seat and looked at the owner of the voice, already knowing that it was Draco Malfoy – he was the only person to call her Ginevra.

'How in Hades do you keep doing that?' she snapped.

'Silencing charm on the shoes,' he answered with a glance at his feet.

Ginny used the moment to conceal the true titles of the books she was using.

'Who would have thought you would have something in common with my twin brothers,' Ginny commented blithely.

'Really?' Draco asked in a causal tone.

'Yes. Did you want something?'

'Just to know what was causing your evil smile,' Draco replied.

'I don't have an evil smile,' Ginny retorted.

'Diabolical smile then,' Draco said with a grin.

 _Is he flirting with me?_

Ginny threw her quill at him and he winced when it hit his chest.

 _That shouldn't have hurt… does he have a pathetically low pain threshold?_

'My grin is in no way evil or diabolical,' she replied pertly.

'Of course, my apologies, Ginevra. So what was the smile for?'

Ginny huffed and scowled at the irritating blond.

'Why do you care?' she asked.

'Just need to make sure it isn't caused by a plan to ruin my day.'

'My non-evil, non-diabolical smile had nothing to do with you. Happy?'

'Ecstatic.'

'Go away then,' Ginny ordered with a wave of her hand.

Draco smirked at her and disappeared.

Ginny flopped in her chair and released a breath.

 _What was that?_

She took in her shaking hands and felt the butterflies in her stomach begin to settle.

 _She hadn't felt so alive in a while, and that was from bantering with Malfoy? No, surely it was just because he could sneak up on her far more successfully than anyone else and he'd almost found out her secret. Yes, that was it. Besides, he is a prat. I think._

She flicked the page with force so it turned the page, tearing slightly in the corner. Ginny frowned, pulling out her wand to fix the damage. Pausing a moment later and leaving the tear – she couldn't use magic on the page, otherwise it could be traced.

 _Bollocks, she had been using concealment charms on the books – she would have to clean them all of magical residue!_

With a sigh, Ginny started to wave her wand over each book in a complex charm. This would take a while… and then she had to find the other books and clean them too.

 _What a cock-up I've made of this!_

* * *

Ginny watched as a flushed Harry rushed into the common room and pinned a parchment to the noticeboard.

'Oi, everyone,' Harry called out, 'Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts will be on Saturday morning.'

Cheers erupted around the room and people began to congratulate the Boy-Who-Lived on his position as captain of the team.

He flopped into a seat near Ginny by the fire.

'I can count on you as a chaser, right?' Harry asked with a grin.

'Oh, no, I'm not planning on trying out for the team this year,' Ginny answered.

'What? You have to! We need you on the team!'

Ginny shrugged and looked back at her book.

'Is this because I asked you out?'

 _Nope… but it does make a better public excuse than it will ruin my career as a master thief if I get injured._

'Partially. I also have a lot of extra school work this year with all my advanced studies; potions, particularly, requires a lot of additional time with Professor Snape outside regular class hours. If I don't join, then we can avoid an awkward situation and I won't let anyone down with skipping practises to maintain my grade,' Ginny reasoned.

'You don't have to avoid it on my account,' Harry replied softly.

 _Damn, now I feel guilty for using that excuse._

'That isn't the only reason,' Ginny said.

'Are you sure? I'm positive Hermione won't mind helping you keep up with your studies – she already helps Ron and I.'

'I learn better relying on only myself for doing my homework,' Ginny answered.

'Think about it a bit more, you have until Saturday to decide,' Harry suggested.

'Thanks, Harry, but I made my decision a while ago, it won't change.'

'Think about it - you could probably turn professional if you keep practising,' Harry enticed.

Ginny just shook her head slightly.

 _Not everything revolves around Quidditch, Harry. Just because my youngest brother wishes to play professionally with the Cannons, doesn't mean I have the same wish._

Harry leaned back in the couch, setting in beside her. Ginny shot him a slightly irritated look, but continued to read her potions book, already halfway through the chapter on ways to prepare plant extracts, she was keen to finish before the next class.

'Sooo,' Harry said, breaking her concentration after she had only read half a page.

Ginny sighed. 'Yes, Harry?'

'How are you liking potions?'

'I am enjoying the challenge and learning a lot.'

'From the book?' Harry asked leaning forward to glance at the page. 'Hey, what's all the writing?'

'Snape's personal notes, it is what the advanced placement students are given,' Ginny replied with thinly veiled irritation.

'And you trust the notes?'

'Yes, Professor Snape is a teacher. Besides, Malfoy has the same notes and he is still around.'

'Bloody Malfoy! I can't believe you are working with him,' Harry growled.

Ginny narrowed her eyes.

 _There is something odd about Harry's reaction, almost as if… no, that is ridiculous._

'I think you should stay away from Malfoy, Ginny. You have changed since working with him. It's like you are almost friends with him. And you keep his secrets, like the Slytherin Quidditch team line-up.'

 _He is jealous! Oh for Merlin's sake, this is absurd!_

'We have developed an accord so we can work together.'

'But he has picked on you for years!' Harry replied in a strangled tone.

'No, he hasn't picked on me since first year. Listen, Harry, I have to work with him, so it is easier if you don't try and get me to hate him. I don't particularly like him, but I don't hate him; with Malfoy I consider myself… blank.'

 _Butterflies in the stomach don't equate to blank,_ a voice reminded in her head. She tossed an imaginary scowl at the voice in her mind.

'You don't hate him,' Harry gasped.

'No. Now, Harry, I really need to finish this reading before potions tomorrow, do you mind letting me concentrate on it?'

'What has Malfoy done to you?' Harry's crushed voice asked.

'Nothing,' Ginny answered with exasperation. 'Harry, please, I need to do my homework!'

'Harry are you interrupting Ginny from doing her homework?' came Hermione's horrified voice from behind.

'Hermione, this is more important than homework,' Harry admonished.

'Quidditch is not more important than homework, Harry,' Hermione scolded.

'It's not Quidditch. Ginny doesn't hate Malfoy,' Harry said with anguish.

Hermione looked startled for a moment. 'Oh.'

'Is that all you have to say?' Harry asked with mild outrage.

'Um, why don't you hate him, Ginny?' Hermione asked curiously.

Ginny sighed and snapped closed her book. 'As I said to Harry, Malfoy and I have not really had any interaction for the last few years. I have no use for the family feud and I have to work with him nicely or Snape will kick me out of Advanced Potions, so I work with him and try not to tip the cauldron. He has actually helped me improve in potions, so, no I don't hate him anymore. I don't feel anything except a void of emotion. Now, if you will both excuse me, I need to find somewhere peaceful to study.'

Ginny jumped up from her seat and stalked up the stairs to her dormitory.

'What did you two do to my sister?' Ginny heard her brother ask as she walked away.

Ginny opened her bedroom door and slammed it behind her. She flopped onto her bed, landing on her stomach and flipping open the book to continue studying.

* * *

 **A/N: Oh Harry, Harry, Harry. What did you think? If you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you all for the favouriting, following, and reviews you have been posting! The reviews are particularly inspiring and encouraging (also helps me pick out gaps that I've missed). Happy reading!

To the reviewers: **Whats fake** [Thanks! She does like the challenge and the thrill she gets from plotting and pulling it off with success. I'll include a flashback in a future chapter which explains Ginny's start better]; **Guest** [Haha, baby steps, but there are some below for you to enjoy]; and **Neakco** [Thanks! And you're right, I won't tell until the story does - But I like knowing that you're curious XD ].

* * *

Recap:

 _Ginny jumped up from her seat and stalked up the stairs to her dormitory._

 _'What did you two do to my sister?' Ginny heard her brother ask as she walked away._

 _Ginny opened her bedroom door and slammed it behind her. She flopped onto her bed, landing on her stomach and flipping open the book to continue studying._

* * *

The next day found Ginny sitting in Potions class by her pain sensitive partner. Draco was rubbing his forearms between preparing ingredients and the movement was distracting her.

His massaging drew her attention again as she was cutting newt legs into slices, causing her to slip and almost slice her finger.

Snapping her hand away from the blade, she threw a glare at Draco, who was focused on the hand-written instructions of his book.

'Will you stop that incessant fidgeting, it's distracting!' she bit out.

Draco glanced up at her, eyebrows furrowed.

She looked at his forearm pointedly and he followed her eyes. Yanking his arm away from the one he was rubbing.

A smirk stole over his face. 'Distract you, do I?'

Ginny sneered at him reply.

Draco leaned closer and whispered, 'And why exactly do you find me so distracting, Ginevra?'

 _Because I can't help but notice you! Bollocks, why did I think that!_

Scrambling for an answer she could actually say aloud, she rushed and replied, 'Because your fidgeting keeps moving the table, you prat.'

Draco's eyes glimmered. 'Unlikely, magic holds these tables still.'

Ginny scowled. 'What is wrong with you anyway?'

'Wrong with me? Nothing is wrong with me, Ginevra: I'm perfect,' he answered with a charming smile.

'Ha,' she scoffed with derision. 'Do you have the most pitiful pain threshold in the wizarding world?'

'Why would you ask that?'

'Because you are massaging your arm and the other day I hurt you when I lightly poked your shoulder.'

'Why do you care?'

'It's weird – is it contagious?'

Draco chuckled. 'No, unless pushing oneself is contagious.'

'And how have you pushed yourself?'

Draco just smiled in reply and turned back to his work.

Ginny restrained a verbal huff at the irritating blond.

'Just stop with the irritating movements.'

'Is that a command, Ginevra?' Draco asked, turning back to face her and leaning closer.

'Perhaps. Why?' she asked with challenge written on her face as she determinedly ignored his heady scent.

'There are very few people who I allow to "command" me and I hadn't considered you one of them,' he whispered lowly.

Ginny blinked at him for a moment, before a blush stole across her face as she realised his meaning.

'Don't be ridiculous,' she replied with fire in her eyes.

'Then don't try and command me again,' he pulled away and added as a flippant afterthought, 'besides, doing so could be hazardous for your health.'

'Are you threatening me?' Ginny gasped in surprise.

'Certainly not, but Pansy doesn't take kindly to such interactions and doesn't think before she casts a spell.'

'I'm shaking in my shoes,' she replied sarcastically. 'So sweet that you have a violently jealous girlfriend.'

'She wishes,' Draco replied, holding her gaze.

Ginny's traitorous heart began to beat harder.

'Then you should do something about that, else she will run off any girl you do like,' Ginny replied nonchalantly.

'Oh no girl I would date would be scared off by Pansy,' Draco replied with confidence and then returned his focus to his potion.

Ginny gave him a confused look before checking on her potion once more. It was only after the lesson had finished and the class disbanded that she realised he had switched the topic away from answering her probing and she was no closer to discovering what was wrong with him.

* * *

The following Saturday, it was clear that the Quidditch season had returned in full fervour.

'Welcome to the first Quidditch match of the year! And what perfect Quidditch weather we have: sun shining, a light breeze, and a warm day. Today we have the Gryffindor Lions facing off against the Slytherin Snakes. Slytherin has forsaken its all-male team under the leadership of Malfoy and has an almost entirely untested team with two girls. Also Malfoy has given up his regular position as seeker and is playing keeper; keeper is a better position to captain from but it is a new position for him. Gryffindor's captain, Potter, is still playing as seeker and has a similar, more experienced, line-up with most of last year's Quidditch Champions team. Only two new players for the Lions; one as chaser - no Ginny Weasley playing this year, which is a surprise given her talent - and a new beater. Will experience win the competition today? Or will it be the new blood?'

A roar of noise erupted around the stands as everyone called out their thoughts.

'Well, either way, it should be an interesting match. And here come the teams!'

The crowd cheered as the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams entered the pitch.

'Madam Hooch has released the bludgers and snitch. And there goes the quaffle. The keepers immediately zooming to their positions and the seekers soaring high to find the elusive snitch. Gryffindor experience takes possession of the quaffle and are heading to the hoops – let's see what Malfoy has. Gryffindor throw. It's blocked!'

The Gryffindors around Ginny groaned, although she heard the proud Slytherin cheers creep in.

'Malfoy saves the throw and he passes to a fellow chaser. The Slytherins are in possession and they head towards Weasley. Gryffindor are trying all tactics here to unnerve their untested rivals. Whoa, that bludger was close. Nice try by Gryffindor, but they can't seem to break into the group. Slytherin almost at the hoops.'

Ginny was watching with wide eyes, Ron was so focused on the approaching chasers that he had forgotten to watch the Slytherin beaters – who were in full control of the bludgers. Ginny winced as she saw Meadow smack a bludger towards Ron as the Slytherin chasers honed in on the hoops.

A shout from Harry caught Ron's attention and he dived away from the bludger.

'Goal for Slytherin. That's ten points to the snakes.'

While Ron was righting himself, he missed the streak of green that flew passed him, but Ginny didn't. She groaned as she saw the Slytherin chaser catch the quaffle and toss it back to a teammate who immediately batted it into the still unprotected hoops.

'Second goal to Slytherin. Twenty to zero in favour of the snakes. Clearly experience isn't everything. Gryffindor are now in the unenviable position of playing catch-up.'

Ron caught the quaffle this time and tossed it forcefully to a Gryffindor chaser. A Slytherin chaser almost intercepted the throw, but wasn't fast enough. The players turned around and soared towards the Slytherin hoops.

'A well-placed bludger by the Slytherin beater and the new Gryffindor chaser drops the quaffle - Slytherin chasers are quick to clean up. A chance for the Gryffindor keeper to redeem himself is coming. Slytherin shoots.'

The Gryffindors erupted in cheers.

'And Weasley saves the goal. Possession with Gry— wait is that Potter diving for the snitch. I can't see the elusive ball of points myself, but Potter is in a step dive. The Slytherin seeker isn't following though. Potter pulls up – a Wonski Feint. Gryffindor has used the distraction and have thrown the quaffle. Malfoy catches it again. Bad luck chasers! Possession is now back with the Slytherin chasers. A bludger knocks the quaffle free, but Slytherin have caught it again.'

Ginny watched the game closely. The Slytherin team worked well together and she could see that Malfoy's decision to drop the best chaser in favour of a team player had worked to their advantage. Harry and Malfoy were calling out orders to their team, although Harry seemed to be having trouble watching both the game and searching for the snitch. The Slytherin had almost caught the snitch twice and Harry had been behind each time – so delayed by shouting orders that he almost missed the chase.

Ginny looked at the scoreboard, one hundred and ten to thirty points in favour of the Slytherins: it was a slaughter. Harry needed to get that snitch. Soon.

Harry called a timeout and the teams descended for their allotted three minutes, both coming back into the air with renewed vigour and determination.

Gryffindor managed to take possession and were heading for the Slytherin stands. Suddenly a Slytherin beater went down – it didn't look like Meadow. Hooch patched them up and they dizzily returned to the air, obviously still slightly stunned. Ginny now focused on the beaters, the two Gryffindor beaters were aiming for the uninjured Meadow; an allowable, if somewhat poor taste, tactic.

As Meadow dodged the bludgers and tried to whack them back into control – a difficult task with a dazed colleague - the chasers came closer to the Slytherin end of the pitch, darting in and out and around the Slytherin chasers, moving forward steadily, but slowly.

 _What are they doing?_

Suddenly it was explained. The chaser threw the ball as Malfoy dodged a bludger.

'Gryffindor scores! One hundred and ten points to forty.'

As Malfoy followed the quaffle on its upward trajectory to catch it, two additional bludgers were simultaneously shot towards him out of his eyesight. The trap perfectly executed.

 _Crunch_.

Malfoy's broom snapped under the weight of the battering bludgers and he fell.

As Ginny's throat closed and her eyes widened, the stands gasped collectively as they watched him drop the sixty odd feet with increasing speed.

Three jets of light shot towards him from the teachers stand.

All missed the falling student.

 _No!_

Time seemed to slow as she watched him continue to plummet. Out of her eye she saw more jets of magic shooting towards him as the teachers attempted to save him again.

 _At that distance they won't reach him in time…_

Twenty feet from the ground, Draco's body began to morph; shrinking and beginning to tumble. With a jerk that almost gave her eyes whiplash, he was shaped like a bird and had stalled his decent with stretched wings.

Ginny blinked. _What in Hades…?_

He gracefully swooped down onto the pitch and changed back into a wizard.

The crowd was silent. Watching in shock. Beside her, Hermione pinched herself.

 _Malfoy is an animagus‽ Oh, now that would be an excellent skill to have! An impressive animagus form too…_

Malfoy pulled his wand out of his sleeve and flicked it: a gleaming broom flew out from the change rooms and halted beside him. He jumped on it and flew back into the air with an expectant look at Madam Hooch.

A jaw-slack Madam Hooch looked towards the teachers stand, Headmaster Dumbledore waved her on, so she her blew the whistle to continue the game.

'Hooch awarding two penalty shots to Slytherin for the dangerous Gryffindor tactic which could have caused serious injury. Remember, Lions, this is a school game. I'm actually a little surprised that our Lions would pull such a move. Anyway, folks, Slytherin shoots and scores. Lining up for the next penalty shot. And Weasley saves this one in a nice extension…'

The crowd continued murmuring as the shots were taken, barely paying attention to the game.

'Did Malfoy just turn into a bird?' a startled Neville asked from beside her.

'A peregrine falcon by the looks of it,' Hermione clarified. 'Peregrine falcons are able to fly at high speeds and change direction rapidly, in fact, they are the fastest creature in the animal kingdom. They have high versatility and are excellent hunters. And they eat other birds.'

'Appropriate,' Dean Thomas mutter from behind her.

'It's an impressive skill – most people don't have the magical power to become animagus and the majority don't manage it before they are in their thirties, at least. Of course, the Malfoys and Blacks have always been powerful family lines,' Neville added.

'Hot too,' Parvati added with an impressed look.

'I wonder where he learned the skill,' Hermione pondered.

 _You and me both._

Ginny glanced at the Slytherin goals. Malfoy was hovering in front of them, focus trained completely on the game and completely unruffled by the fall and transformation.

'Slytherin scores! That's one hundred and thirty points to forty, folks. And there goes the Slytherin seeker into a dive. Potter follows, is he close enough?'

Ginny looked towards the stream of red and green shooting in the same direction.

 _Come on, Harry, you can catch up. Just a bit faster._

'It's all over! The lithe Slytherin catches the snitch, ending the game at a massive two hundred and eighty to forty.'

Hermione groaned next to her.

'Harry and Ron are going to be impossible tonight,' Hermione muttered into her hands.

 _Note to self, research in the library tonight. Research animagus at that – if Malfoy has managed it, then it must be possible for teenagers to learn…_

* * *

 **A/N: Did you like the DG interactions and Quidditch match? If you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** **I'm so sorry for the delay - life does get in the way of the beloved writing at times! Thank you all for the favouriting, following, and reviews you have been posting! Happy reading!**

To the reviewers: **Neakco** [There are indeed so many too choose from, I'll give you a hint - it is unexpected XD Hope your friend is feeling better!]; **BlackRose851** [Thank you!]; **ImaHPfan** [Thank you, I'm the same - I prefer writing powerful and confident characters. Yes the Gyr quidittch team needs to be taken to task every once a while, and it is fun to do it with Slytherins help! Lots more D/G in the chapter after this one - I promise it will be up next week]; **MollyP4321** [Thank you for the comments on every chapter - you're a legend! There will be more D/G in the chapter after this one - to be posted next week, promise]; **brianaangel** [Thank you!]; and **Guests** [Thank you! If you add a name of some sort I'll respond individually to your comments :) ].

* * *

Recap:

 _Hermione groaned next to her._

 _'Harry and Ron are going to be impossible tonight,' Hermione muttered into her hands._

 _Note to self, research in the library tonight. Research animagus at that – if Malfoy has managed it, then it must be possible for teenagers to learn…_

* * *

Malfoy's popularity seemed to soar after the quidditch match had put his amazing animagus ability on show for everyone.

Malfoy himself looked slightly irritated at all the questions and shook off the pawing hands of his fans, particularly the ones who recognised the power required to make the transformation.

It was two days later when a Ravenclaw, who was sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall during lunch, commented jealously, 'Apparently, Professor Snape taught Malfoy to be an animagus.'

'That's such blatant favouritism!' Hermione complained.

'Well it is Snape,' Harry slipped in.

'Professor Snape,' Hermione absently correctly as she focused on the nodding Ravenclaw.

The Ravenclaw then admitted, 'Apparently, Professor Snape wasn't teaching him as a teacher, but as a godfather.'

'Professor Snape is Malfoy's godfather?' Hermione gasped. 'No wonder he was advanced in potions.'

Ginny twitched her nose.

 _Settle petal, heaven forbid that you are actually beaten in a subject. Best not remind her that I am top of her class at the moment - given Malfoy is technically in a different class_.

The Ravenclaw gave Hermione a look out of the corner of his eye, and continued, 'Yeah, a group of us petitioned Professor Snape to teach us as well, but he refused. We pointed out it was unfair, he said he mostly taught Malfoy during holidays and was just overseeing his practise during terms, but not actually teaching him.'

Hermione huffed.

'So, we went to Flitwick, but he said no as well. We thought we would try McGonagall next, since she is an animagus too. Are you interested in joining the group?' the Ravenclaw asked Hermione.

'Absolutely,' Hermione replied.

'Great - in which case it would be good if you talked to McGonagall; she likes you more,' the Ravenclaw replied and then slid from the table, mission accomplished.

'So are you guys interested too?' Hermione asked the surrounding students.

Ron and Harry nodded.

'Do you think I'll be a stag like my dad?' Harry asked.

'Maybe, mate,' Ron replied. 'I want to be a lion. That would be awesome. Do you get to choose your animal?'

'No,' Hermione replied, 'the animal is a representation of your personality.'

'Oh,' Ron replied with disappointment, already having looked forward to turning into a lion to scare the twins.

'Ginny, what about you, it would be a fantastic skill to learn,' Hermione prompted.

 _It would if everyone didn't know what I was: I can hardly be stealthy if I leave a footprint at a scene and they can look up my animal details_.

'No, I think I have a full study load at the moment. I might sign-up next year instead,' Ginny answered.

Hermione nodded sagely and looked at the rest of the table.

'I'll sign up,' Neville added.

'Err, are you sure?' Hermione asked.

'Of course, why?' Neville replied.

'Well, err, it's just that… well, transfiguration has always been a bit of a challenge for you,' Hermione replied, cheeks slightly red.

Neville shrugged. 'A teacher will be around and my mum was an animagus.'

Hermione looked sceptical, but seeing Professor McGonagall leave the hall, darted after her instead of arguing the point.

'Professor McGonagall, excuse me,' Hermione called.

All eyes in the hall followed her.

The intimidating professor stopped and looked at one of her favourite students expectantly.

'A few of us were hoping you might hold a class to teach students to become an animagus,' Hermione said with a hopeful expression.

'Miss Granger, I am not sure that is appropriate. There are Ministry courses you can take after you have finished your schooling. Becoming an animagus is a very painful and tiring process, one that should not be attempted while at school,' Professor McGonagall answered with a swift glare at Professor Snape. The Slytherin Head of House just smirked in reply.

'But Malfoy was allowed to learn,' Hermione countered, gesturing to the Slytherin table with a harsh wave of her arm.

'Mr Malfoy learned the skill outside of school, and was undoubtable in considerable pain all year—'

 _Oh! I guess that answers Malfoy's pathetic pain threshold… I can't believe that I though he was getting beaten up by someone! His parents might not been as openly affectionate as mine, but that was rather horrid of me to so quickly assume such a thing._

'—that is not something I condone, let alone encourage, for students. You must be at least seventeen to make such a decision. The process can go very wrong – you no doubt recall the pictures of partially transformed people in your transfiguration lessons.'

'But, for those of us who are seventeen, will you teach us?'

'Ms Granger, you're an intelligent girl, but I don't think you understand exactly what you are requesting. When I say it is painful, I mean it. It was the most excruciating experience of my life and it took months to perfect my skill. In addition, you will likely require pain potions, which is an added expense to the school.'

'Please,' Hermione asked with a begging look.

'Are you not able to wait until you can do the Ministry course? What is the rush, Ms Granger?'

'We want to learn,' Hermione answered with disappointment.

Professor McGonagall sighed and looked to the head table, eyes catching with Professor Dumbledore's. The headmaster nodded and Professor McGonagall's shoulders slumped.

'Very well. Those who are seventeen or older may sign up for the class,' she announced to the collective students. 'It is a very painful process and it will be detrimental to your grades. It is also very, very dangerous, so I suggest you wait until schooling is finished and partake in the Ministry run program instead. If you are successful, you must all register on the animagus list. Be warned, becoming an animagus requires particular attributes and, even with those, you may never succeed. Class will begin this evening at six in my transfiguration room.'

With a foreboding glare at Hermione, Professor McGonagall swept from the room. Hermione didn't notice, bouncing from foot to foot with glee as she looked at her friends.

* * *

At nine that evening, Neville, Hermione, Ron, and Harry dragged themselves into the common room.

'I'm exhausted,' Ron complained.

'What did McGonagall have you do?' Ginny asked.

'Professor McGonagall went over animagus, the required attributes, and all the things that have gone wrong in attempts to become an animagus in the past,' Hermione replied, slumping into a chair.

'Did you get to find out your animal?' Ginny asked.

'Yeah,' Harry replied, brightening.

'Well, what animals will you be if you can transform?' Ginny questioned with a smile, excited for the group.

'Mine's a wolf,' Harry said with a little disappointment. 'A social and intelligent hunter. I don't think I'm much of a hunter, but I suppose an exact match is unlikely. I think a stag would have been a better fit…'

'Wolves can be quite a noble creature, and definitely care about the others in their den,' Ginny offered encouragingly. 'They can also survive in inhospitable situations, which the Dursleys certainly are.'

Harry grimaced.

'I'm a dog,' Ron added.

'A Norfolk terrier to be exact,' Hermione added. 'They are the smallest of the working terriers and are very active. They are also considered fearless, although a little aggressive, and they are very social creatures. And I'm a squirrel: they are one of the most intelligent creatures on the earth.'

'And you, Neville,' Ginny probed.

'I'm a wombat,' Neville replied.

'A what?' Ginny asked.

'A short, pudgy animal,' Ron added with a grin.

Hermione glared at Ron and interrupted, 'It's an Australian animal, which is an excellent digger and extremely tough. They have a painful bite, but are a herbivore. Fairly solitary, although do feed near others on occasions. They are considered by some to be quite cute.'

Ron's face flushed and he sent a glare at Neville. Neville just raised an eyebrow and stared right back; having more confidence since becoming head boy and receiving respect from the school body.

'So how long does McGonagall think it will take you to learn?'

'The rest of the year if we are lucky,' Hermione replied with a frown.

'But hopefully we can prove her wrong,' Ron inputted. 'Malfoy managed it, and Harry is more powerful than him. Might stop Malfoy from being such a git and showing off if Harry learns faster than he could.'

Ginny nodded vaguely as the boys headed away to get a chess set, wishing she could learn as well, but not desiring to have her creature known.

 _I wonder if Malfoy was more irritated that his secret is out or glad of the extra popularity it brings. He certainly has no lack of girls seeking his company these days._ _Why did I think that? I don't care about Malfoy, or any girls he might have hovering around him._

An image of his flirty grin flashed in her mind that he had worn while calling her smile devious. She scowled.

'Ginny, what's wrong?' Hermione asked.

'Hmm, oh, just thinking of all the homework I have to do,' Ginny lied easily.

Hermione nodded. 'There is a lot. Have you heard from George recently? ... or Fred?'

'I had a letter the other day. They are working on a new invention - as usual. Why?'

'Oh, err, no reason. Just making sure George, and Fred, haven't blow themselves up or something.'

'Ah, so you have a crush on George do you?'

'What! No!' Hermione replied too quickly.

'I don't care if you do. Just make sure that you're certain. Ron is head-over-heels for you, no matter how poorly he shows it: it will crush him if you date his brother. So, if you decide to chase after George, make sure you are serious… at least as serious as one can be with the twins,' Ginny warned.

'Ron is in love with me?'

Ginny tossed her hands in the air. 'Are you serious, Hermione? Of course he is. Didn't you see him glare at Neville before when you said wombats can be cute?'

'No.'

'Well, he did. Are you attracted to Ron?'

'Umm, I was in fourth year, but I haven't really thought about him in a while, since…'

'Since what?'

'Since we went swimming with the twins at the Burrow,' Hermione replied with a blush.

Ginny's jaw dropped open and then she started to release peals of laughter.

'Ginny,' Hermione hissed.

Ginny tried to suck in air, but she was laughing too hard. Tears began to leak down her face as her body shuddered.

'Ginny. It's not funny!'

'They—they—bahaha.'

'Ginny!' Hermione continued to hiss, sending nervous looks around the room.

'They had pranked each other earlier!'

'What!'

Ginny tried desperately to control her laughter so she could explain.

'Fred—Fred—' Gasp. 'Fred gave George a veela aphrodisiac lolly they were developing.'

Hermione blanched. 'You mean...'

'Not real - yes! Hahahaha.'

Hermione hunched over her legs and buried her face in her skirt and groaned.

'Awh, I'm sorry, Hermione, I thought you knew,' Ginny offered as sympathetically as she could between bouts of laughter, patting her friend on the back.

Hermione groaned again, refusing to lift her head.

Ginny calmed enough that she was just sniggering and watched with amusement as Hermione hid her bright red face.

 _Hermione really isn't so bad when you can get passed her swottish, know-it-all personality._

* * *

 **A/N: I'll post the next chapter early next week - promise! As always, if you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** A new chapter nice a quick, as promised XD Thank you all for the favouriting, following, and reviews you have been posting! Happy reading!

To the reviewers: **Johan Kira Expelliarmus** [Thank you! For fun is below XD ]; **StarringME** [Thank you!]; and **Neakco** [Hmm, I could give more hints or denials, but I think I will hold off for now before you name all critters under the sun :p Thanks for the review!].

* * *

Recap:

 _Hermione groaned again, refusing to lift her head._

 _Ginny calmed enough that she was just sniggering and watched with amusement as Hermione hid her bright red face._

 _Hermione really isn't so bad when you can get passed her swottish, know-it-all personality._

* * *

'Guess what!' Kate said excitedly as she bounced up to Ginny and Meadow who were siting by the lake in the sunshine the next afternoon. Puffy white clouds dotted the horizon and the Ravenclaw team soared around the Quidditch Pitch – Tuesday was their official training day (apparently the least homework was due on Wednesdays).

'You are finally confessing your secret love for Professor Snape?' Ginny replied blandly.

'Ew! No, they are holding a Careers Day next Friday. Eek!'

Ginny winced as Kate squealed in her ear.

'A Careers Day?'

'Yes. Apparently, a group of magical employers and universities will be coming to Hogwarts and showcasing their organisation. It will be fantastic to talk with the people who work in the places to see if it is really what we want. Aren't you excited?'

'Err, sure, I suppose. Who is attending?'

'Dumbledore is inviting everyone to attend. Afterwards there will be a dinner, which the organisations will join, and a party. The networking opportunities will be fantastic!'

The squid rose a lazy tentacle and drenched some nearby Hufflepuffs.

 _Hmm, the whole school will be occupied, with external people too. Can't expect much better than that._

'Sounds interesting,' Ginny said blandly.

'That's it? That's all you going to say‽' Kate asked startled at the lack of enthusiasm.

Ginny shrugged.

'Meadow, at least tell me you are excited,' Kate demanded.

'Not really. I will be joining my family business when I finish school; my father has been grooming me to head up the company since I was learnt to walk. I don't really have a choice, so the Careers Day won't give me anything - except maybe a wish for a different opportunity. I'll skip it if I can,' Meadow replied.

'Oh, I forgot about that,' Kate said morosely as she slumped to the ground.

Meadow shrugged in reply.

'Fine, kill my buzz why don't you,' Kate huffed.

'So sorry,' Ginny replied insincerely with a teasing grin as she stood up.

'Where are you going?' Meadow asked.

'I have some research I need to do,' Ginny replied.

'On what?' Meadow questioned with a put out look.

'Classwork,' Ginny replied vaguely.

Kate poked her tongue out at the redhead and added, 'You're just leaving because I'm here now and only us cool folk are allowed here now.'

'You break my heart,' Ginny laughed in reply, clutching her hand to her chest dramatically.

She left her two friends in peals of laughter, striding purposefully toward the library. She did have research to do. Giant Squid research. With the Careers Day less than a week away, she needed to locate a place to hide the massive water creature.

When she arrived in the library, she saw it was largely deserted except for one corner that was a hive of movement and whispering. Peering closer with thinly veiled irritation, she realised that the majority of the people were girls and a few proudly out-of-the-broom-cupboard guys. The group was taking up the tables surrounding a window table. Ginny spotted a flash of bright blond hair by the window.

 _Ah, Malfoy and his adoring masses._

A bitter taste formed in her mouth and she turned away to find her books in the peaceful shelves. As she placed her collected books at the table that was a decent distance from the horde and flipped through the first book, giggles erupted in the room. Ginny gritted her teeth together.

 _This is going to get very annoying, very quickly._

She shot the group of students a glare.

 _This is a library: shut up!_

Whispers gushed and Ginny snarled in the direction. She found out what was drawing the noise. Malfoy had removed his jumper.

 _Prat. Stupidly-attractive prat. No! Just prat._

She felt her irritation grow as she eyed the ogling students. Malfoy shifted in his chair and hissed something. She couldn't hear it, but the sudden silence of the surrounding students proved it was probably a threat to be quiet or else.

 _Hmm, perhaps he isn't enjoying the attention as much as I thought._

Unsure why that thought made her grin, and deciding it was best not to explore the reason, she delved back into her research.

* * *

Ginny sleuthed through the night's mist that evening, making her way towards the Giant Squid with pineapples that she had been bringing each night since learning of the creature's preference for them. She also had an extra special treat - stolen Gillyweed from Snape's potions cabinet.

She didn't bother restraining the malicious smile at the thought of Snape's reaction when he realised the precious item was gone. He usually made the discovery on the following morning, with just enough time before breakfast that his glare would stare down each and every student who entered the Great Hall.

As she neared the lake, she moved towards the shoreline, dipping her hand in the water when she reached the edge. The squid poked its head from the inky liquid, a huge eyeball watching her. Its dripping tentacle raised from the water and moved them towards her.

'Good evening. I've brought the pineapples and an extra special gift tonight. I hope you enjoy the presents.'

She handed the items over to the sticky suckers on the tentacles and watched the squid examine them.

A few extra tentacles broke the still surface and splashed in the water exuberantly while the creature made a keeling noise.

Ginny laughed, having learned that such signs meant that the squid was delighted.

It reached a tentacle towards her once more.

'I'm sorry, that is all I have,' she said, rubbing the outstretched limb gently.

The limb quickly coiled around her and lifted her from the ground, pulling her determinedly through the air towards the squid. Ginny let out a surprised squeak and unconsciously held her breath.

 _Don't panic! It likes people, so it shouldn't harm me… I hope._

The squid rub her against its wet, slimy cheek and made a deep rumbling sound.

 _Eww! Squid goo._

It then placed her back on the bank. Ginny quickly backed-up into the trees once more, wiping her face as she did so.

'You're welcome?' she answered.

The squid made the deep noise again, then slowly slipped under the water, pineapple and gillyweed still in its grasp.

 _Weird._

Looking at her outfit, she sighed and trudged in her gooey clothes back into the school – avoiding magic around the squid in the middle of the night was worth the temporary discomfort.

Once back in the corridor, she cast some strong cleaning and freshening spells on herself. She sniffed her arm tentatively, wondering if she still smelt like fish or if it was just her imagination.

'What are you doing, Ginevra?'

 _Hades, can't he ever start a conversation by approaching a person front on!_

'Draco, what brings you here into the corridors so late?' Ginny asked.

'Patrolling. And yourself? I doubt you have a valid reason,' he prodded with a little glee.

'I couldn't sleep and fancied a walk.'

'And the reason you were covered in a slimy liquid?'

'I unwittingly wandered into a prank. You Slytherins being plotting recently?'

Draco chuckled lightly. 'Nice try, Ginevra, but I highly doubt it was a prank.'

'You think I planned to be covered by slime?'

'I think you were up to something secretive and you were taken by surprise.'

'Secretive? Are you sure that's not just wishful thinking on your part?'

'You are the little sister of the Weasley Twins, obviously a certain disregard for the rules runs in your family.'

'Assumptions make an ass out of you and me.'

'Perhaps, but I think I'm right. You certainly aren't denying it.'

'If you wish for denials you should have said – I am not up to anything secretive,' she answered calmly as she looked him directly in the eye.

'Then what were you doing?'

'I told you, walking; I couldn't sleep.'

'Hmm. Snape's missing some Gillyweed: you wouldn't have any on you, would you?'

'Nope. Search me if you like,' she teased.

 _'Search me if you like'! I can't believe I just said that._

Draco's eyes became dark as he focused on her intently, a sly smile stealing over his face as he edged closer to her.

'Do you want me to search you?' he asked in a much lower tone.

 _Yes!_

'Do you want to search me?'

 _Wait, no, stop flirting – stupid mouth, why won't you listen to my brain?_

'Maybe,' he answered and Ginny only just caught her moan from sounding before drawing back and blanking her face. 'It would be the right thing to do given the missing ingredients and your poor excuse wanderings.'

'Or you could just try a summoning charm,' Ginny replied.

'Effective, but far less fun than other means,' Draco replied, but still pulled out his wand and cast the spell.

Nothing.

 _Thank Merlin that I gave the squid the Gillyweed tonight!_

'Satisfied?' Ginny asked.

'Hardly,' Draco drawled.

She blushed lightly and he grinned.

'Well, I suppose I should return the wondering Gryf to her house dormitory,' Draco said, moving close to her side and gesturing in the direction of the Fat Lady's portrait.

Ginny set off with Draco incredibly close to her side.

 _I can almost feel the heat coming from him. No, bad thought! Nothing about Draco is hot, all cold. Cold and slimy, yes that's it. Except all I want to do is jump him right here. NO! Bloody Hades, I need to get some distance from him._

Ginny speed up and Draco matched her pace by lengthening his strides.

'In a rush to leave me, Ginevra?'

'Of course,' Ginny replied, keeping her eyes trained on the corridor and away from him, despite feeling mixed that his warmth disappeared as she distanced herself.

'Why?' he asked, and when Ginny turned to face him, she could have sworn he regretted the question.

'How long did it take you to become an animagus?' Ginny asked instead.

'A little while.'

'Do you like your animal form?'

'What Quidditch player wouldn't like a bird form?'

Ginny tilted her head and acknowledged his comment. 'So, what is Snape's animal markings?'

'Why ask me? Why not just look it up?'

'I did, but the description was a little vague; no doubt because I don't work for the Ministry.'

'Hmm, but it tells you the animal type.'

'It did: I'm surprised he wasn't a bat… or a snake.'

'Mm.'

'You won't tell me will you?'

'No – it's none of your business.'

 _Bugger, it would have been handy for when I break into his store cupboard in future._

'Does he like his animal?'

'Ask him… if you dare.'

'You didn't dare,' she commented.

'Now you're assuming.'

'No, I asked a question.'

'A question has a rise in tone at the end of a sentence, you didn't have one; ergo it wasn't a question.'

'Well aren't you Mr Know-it-all, you and Hermione should get together, you'd have a swell time.'

'I'm not going to even answer that, Ginevra.'

'I could set it up if you like,' Ginny offered with a grin.

'I do not require, nor desire, your assistance: I'd quite prefer Granger stuffed in a hole with her mouth hexed shut.'

'Don't like the competition she provides?'

'I don't like having her untamed bushy-hair block the front on the class or being made ill by the looks of longing that she casts at your dirt-smeared brother as she simultaneously bounces in her seat and never shuts up in class. She is annoying and interfering… and her constant campaign to free the house elves causes them to burn our food in distraction.'

'Bit of supressed passion there.'

'Passion for wishing she would remove herself from our presence, nothing more.'

'I suppose she wouldn't be much in comparison to the other girls who follow you around,' a hint of jealously creeping into her tone that had Draco widen his eyes. 'Or perhaps you prefer the fawning guys?'

Draco laughed loudly in reply. 'Wouldn't you like to know.'

Ginny glared at him and let out a breath of relief when she saw the Fat Lady.

'And just what hour do you call this, Miss Weasley? Shame on you, this has been going on far too often and I will be informing the Head of Gryffindor if you do not stop.'

'Often, Ginevra?'

Ginny glared at Draco as she whispered the password. The portrait swung open and she stepped inside, as it began to close, she heard Draco call out, 'That's ten points from Gryffindor for late night wanderings, Ginevra.'

 _Sodding Slytherin. I'd best be more careful and climb in and out of the dorm by the window next time, at least there isn't long until the Careers Day._

Dragging herself upstairs, she slumped onto her bed and curled up under the covers, falling into a deep sleep filled with images of an irritatingly handsome and sarcastic blond.

* * *

 **A/N: Haha - couldn't let her get away unpunished - I hope you enjoyed this chapter and all its D/G goodness! If you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you all for the favouriting, following, and reviews you have been posting! Now for the repercussions! Enjoy XD

To the reviewers: **Neakco** [Awh, you're awesome! Thank you XD ]; **AzeleaMarie** [Thanks, that's great feedback to have XD Hopefully you enjoy this chapters interactions just as much!]; b **lackrose85** [Thanks!]; and **PrettyMuchHercules** [Awesome, thanks for the review, I will definitely do my best!].

* * *

Recap:

 _The portrait swung open and she stepped inside, as it began to close, she heard Draco call out, 'That's ten points from Gryffindor for late night wanderings, Ginevra.'_

 _Sodding Slytherin. I'd best be more careful and climb in and out of the dorm by the window next time, at least there isn't long until the Careers Day._

 _Dragging herself upstairs, she slumped onto her bed and curled up under the covers, falling into a deep sleep filled with images of an irritatingly handsome and sarcastic blond._

* * *

When Ginny entered the Great Hall with a slight skip in her step, she struggled not to send a cheeky wave at the glowering Potions Master.

 _Oh his thunderous look makes me all tingly with satisfaction! Is this why the twins used to target Snape in pranks?_

It was clear that Snape had found the clues to hint towards a Ravenclaw culprit: she figured they would be the best blame target; as Hufflepuffs were too loyal to the school rules, Slytherins not daft enough to try or guileless enough to leave evidence of stealing from their head of house, and Gryffindors being too close to home.

She saw Dumbledore mutter something to Snape and almost grinned at the glare he threw towards the Headmaster. Dumbledore just smiled and spun towards McGonagall and began a seemingly enthralling conversation.

 _Hmm, what do you know, Dumbledore is actually a little intimidated by Snape…_

Snape stabbed his breakfast with a forceful stroke before returning his surly gaze to the Ravenclaws, who were shifting on their seats while trying to determine who amongst them had angered the fearsome professor.

Dropping into a seat in the middle of the Gryffindor table, Ginny filled her plate as she sang a song in her head:

 _Snapey, Snapey, cranky Snapey, what have you lost today?_

 _Whoops, I know and am so sorry - I stole your ingredients away!_

 _I guess you'll be mad and sullen all day; outsmarted again – it must be that way._

 _Since you'll never find me – not a chance, no way – I suggest you just go and instead find a lay._

'What do you think has got Snape all in a twist?' Harry interrupted her as he sat down close to her side.

'Hmm?' Ginny sounded through a mouthful of toast.

'Snape,' Harry repeated with a gesture towards the man. 'He looks like a beehive has been smashed in his classroom again.'

Ginny paused to recall the Bee Incident - brilliant work by the twins - and the Potion Master's resulting fury. Tilting her head at Snape, she swallowed and replied, 'He doesn't look that mad.'

'There is practically smoke coming from his ears, Gin.'

Her nose gave an involuntary twitch at the alcoholic nickname.

'So, Gin, I wanted to ask you to re-consider joining the team. One of our chasers has dropped out, something about not wishing to be beaten by the Slytherins all year, and we need the position filled immediately. Someone who knows the team and moves is needed – and that's you.'

'Thanks for offering, Harry, but I'm still not interested. There were some good people in the tryouts, I'm sure they will jump at the chance.'

Harry muttered something that she couldn't hear and reached over for the plate of toast.

As she took another mouthful of food, a deep rumble sounded throughout the hall and nervous students glanced around. Looking up at the ceiling, Ginny realised that storm clouds were appearing inside the massive room.

 _Who's doing that?_

As she stared upwards, a fat droplet of icy water hit forehead. She jumped.

A crack of lighting shot downwards and scorched the centre of the Ravenclaw table, causing screams to erupt.

Ginny looked towards the head table and saw Dumbledore trying to remove the clouds with flurried wand movements, while McGonagall was shaking Snape who had all focus on the table of blue.

 _Snape is doing this‽ Shit, I've made him completely lose control of his magic! Merlin, can't he not take a joke?_

Glancing around the hall, her eyes paused in surprise when she took in the Slytherin table. They were all calmly continuing to eat, umbrellas of different styles and colours hovering over them as they chatted and steadily emptied their plates of food. Drawn towards Draco, she caught his look. He winked at her and kept eating, composed and dignified as the increasingly hard rain started to hit his shelter.

Taking a lead from the Slytherins, Ginny quickly transfigured herself an umbrella from a wooden bowl nearby and set it to hover over her.

Another bolt of electricity hit the table of intellects, and the Ravenclaws flung themselves away and dived for neighbouring tables. The adjacent Hufflepuffs grabbed the arms of the fleeing Ravenclaws and pulled them from the room. On the other side of the Ravenclaw table, the Slytherins smirked at their counterparts, but didn't interfere with their attempt to hide under the table laden in green.

At the head table, McGonagall knocked out the Potions Master and he slumped to the floor, allowing the storm to slowly fade.

 _Note to self, next time don't leave misleading clues – general blanket suspicion is best for the safety of Hogwarts._

Next to her, a drenched Harry chattered his teeth and poked it saturated toast while she chewed nonchalantly on the bacon that she had salvaged before Snape's eruption.

* * *

The gossips quickly established that Snape was assigned stress leave by Madam Pomfrey for the next two days, and that he had holed himself up in his quarters after placing a mass of impressive and twistedly dangerous spells on his potions store cupboard. Apparently Dumbledore has tried to veto the spells and even called them 'unhinged', however, Snape had pointed out they were private stores, so Dumbledore couldn't actually dictate the spells. It seemed that Dumbledore was seen making a hasty-ish departure from the dungeons and was now in his office attending to 'vitally important things'.

That afternoon, Ginny and her classmates curiously stepped into the potions classroom, wondering who would be teaching them.

Dumbledore had been ruled out, as he was apparently busy with those 'vitally important things', and all the other teachers had their own lessons, except Hagrid who had a half-roster. Ginny bit her lip, hoping it wasn't Hagrid – the man was excellent with magical creatures, but given his cakes, she wasn't inspired by the thought of him teaching this particular subject.

Their temporary professor turned out to be Madam Prince, who apparently had some potions training. The lady stalked around the classroom in a style reminiscent of Snape, however, unlike Snape, her focus was on the poor conditions of the potions books rather than the mixtures themselves.

On hearing her rant at Harry over a torn page, Draco had promptly used a concealing charm on his to hide Snape's additions to his own book. Ginny quickly followed his lead and watched the handwritten additions fade into the page of her own book.

'Miss Granger, I am deeply disappointed in the state of your book.'

Hermione looked horrified as she stirred her potion evenly. 'It's not my fault, Madam Prince, Nott spilled the bug juice a few moments ago—'

'You should have cleaned up immediately,' the librarian scolded.

'But that would have ruined my poti—'

'No excuses, Miss Granger. I will be watching you in the library carefully from now on, you are clearly not as trustworthy with these important documents as I supposed.'

Hermione whimpered slightly, causing Draco to chuckle and attract the lady's attention.

When the librarian arrived at their desk, she snatched up each book and looked at them suspiciously; turning them over and over in her hand with narrowed eyes.

'Ten points to the pair of you for not demeaning the hard work of brilliant minds.'

'I would never let my book be so badly damaged,' Draco replied with a winning smile. Ginny gaged in response behind Madam Prince's sight.

When their supervisor moved on to the next table, Draco offered her a wink and returned to his work.

'Suck up,' Ginny muttered.

'Worth it - she'll never shadow me in the library again,' he replied with a smug smile.

'Why, up to no good were you?'

'Not as much as you.'

Her adrenaline spiked and she held her breath a moment to calm her heartrate. _He can't know anything._

'Me? I think you have me confused with someone else.'

'Why were you so unsurprised when you walked into the Great Hall? Everyone else jumped when they saw Professor Snape's glare, but you didn't bat an eye.'

'Watching me were you?'

'I was watching everyone as they entered.'

'I haven't done anything to deserve Professor Snape's anger, so I have no reason to fear his glare. Besides, it was clear a moment later that he was focusing on the Ravenclaws. What did they do? Is it something to do with that spell you used on me last night?'

'Yes, someone took something from the stores cupboard; it was, apparently, a Ravenclaw.'

'Apparently?' Ginny asked with a raised eyebrow.

'A Ravenclaw wouldn't be stupid enough to leave two, albeit small, clues pointing to their house.'

'What were the clues?'

'Not important.'

'So you don't think it was a Ravenclaw?'

'No.'

'Who do you suspect then?' Ginny probed, forcing herself not to scratch her itchy face – it was only itchy due to heightened blood flow from panic.

'A Gryffindor, of course.'

'A Gryffindor wouldn't plant something to get someone else in trouble,' Ginny said superiorly.

'But it wasn't anyone in particular who was in trouble, it was the whole house.'

'Same thing. Gryffindors are not so spineless.'

'I don't know, breaking into potions stores seems pretty brave… and reckless.'

'Hardly brave to blame someone else, sounds more like a Slytherin move to me.'

'They are not so stupid as to steal from Snape, besides, Snape tracks all the Slytherins,' Draco explained.

 _Teachers can track us‽_

'Tracks you? How?' she asked with a determined air of innocent surprise.

'Your house badge has a tracker in it. Professor Snape requires Slytherins to wear theirs at all times; one month detention if you are caught without it.'

Ginny racked her brains in horror. _Have I visited the squid with my school robes on? No, not at night, I'm always in my pyjamas… I think. Damn it! How is such an invasion of privacy allowed? And why in Hades did I never check for charms on my school clothes and belongings before‽_

'Are you alright? You look pale. Ooh, you have been up to no good.'

'Of course I haven't, but I think it is a huge invasion of privacy and I'm shocked that the school uses such measures…'

'How else do you think Dumbledore manages his omniscient?'

Ginny brushed the valid comment away, simply continuing, 'But if they use tracking, surely Professor Snape knows who the culprit is.'

'No, the items were stolen after class hours, so most people were in casual clothes, but it rules out Slytherin.'

'Unless someone deactivated the charm.'

'I doubt they could without Professor Snape realising.'

'I guess we'll find out eventually,' Ginny replied with a shrug.

'I daresay: he hates thefts from his stores cupboard.'

'Does it happen often?' Ginny asked, playing dumb.

Draco looked at her speculatively. 'Often would be a stretch.' Then added with a roguish smile, 'Although occasionally the item returns the next day.'

'Someone steals an item and then returns it?' Ginny asked in a perplexed tone.

'Yes,' Draco answered, grin growing, 'drives him absolutely batty.'

'I thought he wasn't a bat,' Ginny countered.

 _No, no flirting. Bad Ginny!_

'Why, Ginevra, are you flirting with me?' he asked, leaning in slightly.

'As if.'

'I wouldn't object,' he added in her ear with a rush of warm breath.

'Clearly,' she replied dryly, turning to face him with an unimpressed expression. 'I suggest you return to your spoiling potion.'

Draco glanced at his potion and swept his wand to disappear the potion and pack up. Looking around in confusion, Ginny realised the class was emptying.

 _Merlin, Draco is distracting!_

* * *

 **A/N: Mwahaha, poor Snape *eyes twinkle maliciously* I do hope you enjoyed his reaction and hope you can forgive my song attempt wasn't too painful for you all XD So Draco did give away a bit of information there... but he likes her and that's the excuse I'm sticking too. I'll do a second update this week because you guys are awesome!  
If you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks all for the favouriting, following, and reviews you have been posting - I'm feeling super encouraged and happily fuzzy! Happy reading!

To the reviewers: **AzeleaMarie** [Haha, thank you! Hopefully the following brings some joy! Hmm, not telling XD ]; **MollyP4321** [Thank you! Hope you're all okay!]; **Neakco** and **ImaHPFan** [No, no, no. No stalking Draco's here! *shudders* I feel I must punish you both by poking my tongue at you :) ]; and **Guest** [I'm glad you enjoyed this one - you'll find out XD].

* * *

Recap:

 _'I wouldn't object,' he added in her ear with a rush of warm breath._

 _'Clearly,' she replied dryly, turning to face him with an unimpressed expression. 'I suggest you return to your spoiling potion.'_

 _Draco glanced at his potion and swept his wand to disappear the potion and pack up. Looking around in confusion, Ginny realised the class was emptying._

 _Merlin, Draco is distracting!_

* * *

That evening, after grabbing a quick dinner, Ginny dodged the trio and her friends to head to the library. The Careers Day was looming and she still hadn't found a suitable location to hide the giant squid.

Skimming through maps she had collected, she debated each location which would be large enough.

 _Lake in the Forbidden Forest? Too close and therefore easy to find._

 _Loch Ness? No, Muggles are always searching that one for Nessie, even though she is touring the world by sea at the moment._

 _Red Sea? Too many Muggle divers._

 _Lough Neagh? Big, but Ireland is too far to move it given the magic restrictions._

 _Hmm… what about the Lakes District? There is Wastwater; that is the deepest one. But is it big enough? I suppose it could work._

Looking at the surrounds, she could get down there and hide the squid if she timed it carefully to avoid the masses of Muggle and Magical tourists.

 _But is it too obvious? It is in England, rather than Scotland, so that should be helpful. And it is not in a magical area – and thus would probably be less of a focus. The authorities will probably believe someone has stolen the squid for a private collection; so they will go to private establishments with large lakes first... hmm, do the Malfoy's have a big lake? Probably, rumour has it that their land is extensive – to say the least. What would Draco say if his home was searched for the squid and he found out I had it all along? Hang on, that's stupid, Draco will never know._

Shaking her head to rid the errant thought, Ginny started to review the terrain, characteristics, and housing around Wastwater to carefully plan her visit. Careful not to use magic or make any notes, she imprinted the knowledge into her memories.

When it was all planned, Ginny returned to her room and began to gather the items she would need; checking they were all in good condition and wouldn't leave any threads or clues behind. Looking at her dragon-hide black shoes, she cast a spell on the feet to enlarge to footprint and alter the pattern. Checking her hair wrap, she made sure it still fit tightly and then picked off the stray loose hairs. She then meticulously checked everything for tracking spells and the like. Finding none, she locked the items back in the hidden compartment of her truck under some feminine products, then grabbed a towel and headed to have a relaxing bath. A calm, focused mind was essential for success: homework could wait until after the heist.

* * *

Thursday flew by with the heist plans running on repeat in her head.

When Friday dawned, Ginny's nervous energy had evaporated and she was feeling calm and poised. She dressed in her school robes, careful to leave her badge with its tracking spells on her side table, and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast.

There was no sign of the trio when she arrived – no doubt the boys were sleeping late. Careful to select a particularly nutritious meal that would keep her strength high throughout the day, she devoured the meal.

When the hall was full, Dumbledore stood and called for silence.

'Good morning, students. I see many of you are still rather bleary-eyed, however I do hope you will be able to concentrate – or your friends can fill you in. Today, as you know, is Hogwarts' first Careers Day. We are inviting all students to attend, as our Deputy Headmistress reminds me that it is never too soon to start planning your career.'

Looking at the first years, Ginny saw wide-eyes blinking at the Headmaster.

 _Poor things look like startled bunnies,_ Ginny mused while holding in her snigger.

'I will remind you that we will have many people external to the school visiting today and impress upon you that it is important to make a good impression - so please leave the Weasley products in your dormitories.'

A nervous chuckle effectively released the tension that the career reminder had built.

'There will be opportunities to mingle for the whole day and a dinner and party in the evening. I hope you will all make the most of this opportunity. As I am sure you will be disappointed to hear, classes are cancelled today, so please head out to the information booths after breakfast. Thank you.'

The Headmaster sat down and the volume rose once more, everyone speculating on who would be coming to the Careers Day and chattering happily. Hermione looked a little disappointed, but when reminded of all the connections she could make for career hunting, she grinned once more.

* * *

Heading outside, Ginny saw the booths set up away from the lake, no doubt to avoid splashing from the giant squid.

There were hundreds of booths, from universities and academies, to the Ministry, to private businesses. She could see sparkling banners and signs attempting to draw in the students. Keeping up appearances, Ginny started to stroll around. Seeing a stand for a potions company, she approached and watched as the person on the other side was demonstrating a new potion for some enthusiastic students. He allowed a single drop of the potion to fall on a butterfly and it immediately began to transform into a deep sea fish.

Surprised, Ginny glanced at the potion demonstrator's enthralled face.

'Oo, excellent, I hadn't tried a butterfly before – half thought it would turn into a dragon!' the potion demonstrator exclaimed.

With a raised eyebrow, Ginny asked, 'What exactly does the potion do?'

'Turns animals into their directly opposite creature,' the demonstrator explained.

'And you thought trying it in a crowded area full of students on an undetermined alteration was a good plan?' Ginny probed.

'Err, well, it was fine.'

Ginny looked at him judgmentally.

He frowned and continued, 'And you are you?'

'Ginny Weasley.'

'Oh! Ginevra Weasley, fantastic! I was told to speak with you! I heard you are exceptionally talented in potions.'

Ginny glared. She hated being called that name, and while it wasn't too bad when Draco said the name, it was like banshee when this thoughtless clod did so.

'Ginevra, Professor Snape would cut you from the program if he thought for one second you were going to join this organisation,' a voice drawled behind her.

Calmed by the voice, she didn't even bother to turn around. 'And why is that, Draco?'

'Because they are only interested in showy, unstable potions for fad sales. And they have a deplorable safety record,' Draco replied giving the potion demonstrator a dismissive look. 'I imagine the only reason they were invited is for Professor Snape to let of some steam by pulling their latest potions to shreds.'

Ginny watched the paling face of the demonstrator. 'Professor Snape is here? I only said I would do this gig when I was told he was away for the day!'

'Of course he is here, he teaches at this school and it is a weekday, where else would he be,' Draco said with derision clearly evident in his tone and on his face.

The demonstrator was now looking around twitchily as he shrank into himself.

Draco started to move away and Ginny followed him. When out of hearing range of the man, she said, 'That was mean.'

'It was also very fun,' he answered with a grin.

'Will Professor Snape really do that?'

'Maybe – he is in an awful mood, although before the theft it would have been highly unlikely: he prefers to humiliate them by publishing potion articles explaining the flaws in their concoctions, improving them dramatically, and then patenting the improved potion and selling it to a competitor.'

'Is that allowed?'

'His potions are so different in components that he is able to and the effects are usually dramatically improved.'

'Why don't they just hire him before they take the potion public?'

'He declines. He applied with them right out of school, they said he wasn't talented enough – must have gotten him mixed up with someone else as he received the highest marks in one hundred and seventy-two years in the potions NEWTs.'

'They turned him down!'

'Very harshly. So he decided to show them just what dunderheads they are. If you are interested in a potions career then Malfoy Industries has a department entirely devoted to potions.'

'Why would you assume I'm interested in a potions career?'

'You were standing at a potions company stand,' he replied.

'So were you,' she pointed out.

'I only came over because you were there. I'll be working at Malfoy Industries, but as this is mandatory, I'm seeing what other booths have – for MI's booth next year.'

'You came over just for little old me?'

'Your hardly old, Ginevra.'

'Are you saying I'm little.'

'Kitten, you're tiny!' he replied with a grin and a pat on her head.

She swiped his hand away. 'Well thank you for the warning, now you can toddle along.'

'Toddle? Malfoy's don't "toddle". Come on, I'm showing you the MI stand so that you can see a decent potions company.'

 _I suppose it will kill some time._

Grabbing her hand lightly, he weaved them through the crowd.

 _And his hand does feel nice—No!_

She tugged lightly on her hand to free it from his perfect fitting grip, but he either didn't notice, or ignored her attempt, so she gave in and allowed him retain his hold.

After forcing her into a conversation with one of the MI employees, who were extremely courteous and persistent when they realised their future boss had brought her to the stand, Ginny managed to slip away after thirty minutes and wander the stands.

 _I suppose a second career would be a good cover; however a regular job might be more of a hindrance and make tracking me easier. It would be better if I could work for myself… but perhaps having a regular job would help throw off the scent – and the Malfoys hardly ever have bad press associated with their company; so I doubt Malfoy Industries take kindly to their employees being investigated and they are probably approached only if absolutely necessary. Hmm… I'll think about it later._

KA-BOOM.

 _Was that a firework?_

A colourful display erupted at the end of the row and a very familiar firework flew over her head.

 _Are the twins here?_

Slipping through the students, Ginny found the source of the commotion and did indeed spot her brothers. Waving to them, she rushed over.

'Gin Gin!' they chorused.

'Gin-ny,' she pronounced slowly.

'GIN GIN!' they shouted.

Rolling her eyes, she gave them a hug.

'Why are you two here?'

'Exposure and expansion plans,' Fred exclaimed.

'Cool! So how have you two been going? I can see you are both still in one piece.'

'Of course, but we still can't find our book!' Fred bemoaned.

'Oh no, that's terrible!' Ginny commiserated.

'It's all his fault,' they said in unison, pointing at their twin.

'Is not!' they countered together.

Ginny giggled behind her hand and glance away to ensure they wouldn't notice her amusement. She caught sight of Draco scoping out the nearby stands and looking at the twins' display speculatively.

'Gin Gin, pay attention to your most entertaining brothers,' George scolded, waving a hand in front of her face and causing her to jump.

Smacking it away, strongly, she turned to face them.

The twins were looking over her shoulder, scanning the crowd.

'What were you looking at so intently?' Fred asked suspiciously.

She felt a blush dust her cheeks.

'Ooh, not what, Fred, who,' George added.

The two immediately started to evaluate the people.

'You interested in girls, Gin Gin?' Fred questioned.

'Nah, she's only dated guys in the past,' George said.

'She might have changed her mind, girls are hot!'

Ginny looked at him balefully.

'Blokes it is,' Fred decided, watching the mostly younger boys milling around. 'You like them young?'

'All her ex's are older than her,' George added. 'Do you never pay attention?'

'Not to our sister's love life… when there is no mystery anyway,' Fred answered.

Still ignoring her, the twins continued above her head.

'I see only four possibly blokes in Ginny's limited sight range—'

'Hey!' she interrupted with irritation at the poke at her diminutive height.

'—a Hufflepuff.' The twins broke into laughter at the thought.

'She would have him in a blubbering ball within a day,' George crooned.

'Harry – not still interest in him are you?' Fred asked.

Ginny sent him a withering stare.

George patted her head. 'Settle Petal,'

'Some Ravenclaw – that could be okay, although he looks boring. And Ron's greatest enemy, Draco Malfoy – oh, look at that blush; it has to be him!' Fred laughed.

'A looker too by the girls sneaking peaks at him,' George added.

'I wasn't looking at anyone, I just thought I saw Dumbledore's phoenix flying around,' Ginny countered.

'Too little, too late, Gin Gin,' George replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

'He is right,' Fred added, wrapping his arm around her other side.

Ginny groaned.

'We give you our blessing, Gin Gin: what upsets Ron is no doubt good for you,' George decreed with a grin. Fred nodding sagely on her other side.

'In fact, let me help you out,' Fred started.

'What! No!' Ginny almost shrieked.

'Mal—'

Ginny clamped her hand firmly over Fred's mouth and yanked him down to her height. 'Please don't!'

'Alright, alright,' he mumbled through her hand. 'But do date him, Gin Gin, he will keep you from being bored,' Fred replied as he pulled himself from her grip and straightened up. 'You know, he was one of the few we tried and failed to prank in our glory days.'

Ginny snorted. 'Glory days? You really that old that you are up to the reminiscing?'

'Sadly, Gin Gin, our foolish youth is behind us, now it's all work, work, work,' George sighed.

'Ha!'

'You wound us with your disbelief, sister,' Fred cried, hand held to his chest in a move replicated by his brother.

'I'm sure you'll live,' she replied dryly. 'Well you two best get back to smoozing while I go and search for a career path.'

'Cheerio, sister, don't choose something that will give mum a conniption,' George farewelled.

'Yes, that's our job,' Fred added.

The twins turned back to their stand and started showing off their tricks once more. Ginny watched as the stand was swarmed with students immediately, other booth members watching with envy.

She spent the next few hours wondering around, before eventually moving back inside and grabbing lunch. On reappearing outside, she found a nearby tree to sit under and watch the antics of the day in its cool shade.

From her seat, she saw her youngest brother enthusiastically talking to a quidditch scouting agency and a few companies which sponsored quidditch teams.

Hermione wondered by, arms full of brochures as she visited each and every stand.

Harry also appeared, walking passed with a Hufflepuff girl from his year. He was completely focused on the wildly gesturing girl, paying no attention to the booth people trying to grab the attention of the Boy-Who-Lived.

She grinned as she saw Professor Snape prowl through the tents and a moment later the potions demonstrator slipped from behind a booth and scuttled in the opposite direction, eyes on the professor stalking the other way. The inattention caused him to stumble over a second year Slytherin, which brought the professor right back and he immediately began to berate the visitor's incompetence for tramping a student.

Footsteps approached from behind. Concentrating hard, she tried to figure out who was nearing without luck. Turning slightly to check their identity, she found Professor McGonagall closing in no her peaceful location with a severe frown.

Standing and facing the teacher, she looked up expectantly.

'Miss Weasley, why are you sitting under a tree and not utilising this opportunity?'

 _Hmm, if I work this right, maybe she will be useful._

Wincing slightly and furrowing her brows, Ginny replied softly, 'I'm sorry, Professor, I have been looking at the stalls, but found myself getting tired in the sun. I thought it best to sit in the shade for a while.'

'Are you unwell?' the teacher asked, voice immediately less stern.

'It is only a headache and slight faintness is all,' she lied. 'I'm sure I just need rest.'

'Very well. If you do not intend to join in any further, please go and see Madam Pomfrey and retire for the night.'

 _Perfect, an alibi from the sternest professor in the school._

'If you insist, Professor,' Ginny replied weakly. Excusing herself, Ginny returned to the main building and went to visit the healer. Convincing the lady to allow her to take the potion in her dormitory so that she could be in bed when she took it, Ginny left the Hospital Wing for the Gryffindor common room.

* * *

 **A/N: Haha, so what do you think of the Careers Day? I couldn't help but include the twins, they are brilliant fun to write.  
If you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks all for the favourites/follows/reviews - I'm feeling super encouraged and happily fuzzy! The theft has arrived and I have spent a lot of time trying to get it just right (so I hope, for that, you will forgive the delay) - happy reading!

To the reviewers: **Christina-Marble** [You've lucked out as I'm updating today... obviously :p Glad you are enjoying the story]; **MollyP4321** [Thank you!]; **Neakco** [Haha, denial is - hope you enjoy this chapter]; **Nutmeg44** [you'll get to find it out - but she has some other things to do first. Yeah, she is a bit of a klepto... well, perhaps more than a bit!]; **justaislinn** [Haha, well it is excellent logic to use :D I always love writing the twins, so my Ginny - well, for the stories I have her as a likable character - tends to have some of their traits... much more fun that way (and I like the idea of someone pranking them as much as they do the others)]; and **Guest** [The twins are awesome and are her favourite brothers - fun, brilliant, and uncontrolling].

* * *

Recap:

 _'Very well. If you do not intend to join in any further, please go and see Madam Pomfrey and retire for the night.'_

 _Perfect, an alibi from the sternest professor in the school_ _._

 _'If you insist, Professor,' Ginny replied weakly. Excusing herself, Ginny returned to the main building and went to visit the healer. Convincing the lady to allow her to take the potion in her dormitory so that she could be in bed when she took it, Ginny left the Hospital Wing for the Gryffindor common room._

* * *

As dusk rolled in, Ginny peered out the window at the empty lawns of Hogwarts. She had spent the entire afternoon on her majestic gold and red bed, feigning sleep whenever a roommate entered. She opened the window wide to get a clear view, breathing the fresh cool air deeply in her lungs; a delightful change from the warm and slightly stuffy tower air.

 _It looks clear; no doubt everyone is in the Great Hall for the party. Still, never be too careful… the Marauders Map it is._

She pulled the window closed and quietly snuck up to the boys' dormitory. She found Ron's dormitory and stepped inside, nose wrinkling at the overwhelming smell that so clearly showed that the room housed a group of Quidditch mad teenage boys. She was tempted to use a Bubblehead Charm out of spite, but refrained from the foolish impulse and instead moved over to Harry's trunck and rummaged around carefully for the coveted Marauders Map.

Finding the old, mottled parchment, she unfolded it and whispered the password.

Her eyes darted across the creased parchment and she quickly confirmed all the teachers where in the Great Hall. Skimming the rest of the folded sections, she only found ghosts and house elves elsewhere; the ghosts all seemed to be having a congregation in the dungeons, and all the house elves were in the kitchens. Peeves was currently zooming around the Great Hall. A few people were wondering around random hallways, but none would be able to see her from their inner castle locations.

 _Good to go._

She replaced the map methodically and rearranged the trunk content to match its early mess, and then immediately returned to her room to begin to prepare properly.

She pulled on her specialised thief attire; formfitting, charmed clothes, warm and tough. Her shoes wrapped up her leg for extra protection and hold. Not loose strands or material for catching on anything. Everything had a purpose and had been carefully chosen and amended. Checking her supplies once more, she nodded to herself.

She configured a sleeping figure in her bed, thankfully the dormitories and common rooms did not have monitoring charms activated; too many students practising to warrant the attempt. She added sounds and closed the curtain so that people wouldn't try to interrupt her.

Disillusioning herself, Ginny slipped her illegal second wand into its holster and double checked the fastening.

 _Okay, I'm set._

A spike of adrenaline pumped through her and awareness of every joint, muscle, and fragment of magic seemed to shine in her brain. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and then slowly released it. Opening her eyes with a snap as the last bit of air left her body.

Rather than risking running into a professor or someone else, Ginny opened the window once more and hoisted herself onto the balcony. Levering herself cautiously over the edge. Making sure she had three firm points of contact, she removed a hand from the ledge and placed a holder into the window to ensure it couldn't be locked while she was away – tonight would not be the night to see the Fat Lady - and started to climb down the tower.

It was harder in the dark, squinting her eyes helped little, but her honed skills made the controlled decent achievable. A light, cold breeze tickled her face, but her clothes protected the rest of her body effectively; although she was thankful it was not strong enough to pull her body from the tower – hopefully it stayed steady until she was back in bed.

She wished she could wear her climbing gloves, but the roughness of the stone wall could cause them to lose a fibre on the walls. A diligent Auror might find the traces and then she would be in the air without a broom. Carefully placing her hands, she hoped they didn't become too damaged that the supplies stashed in her trunk wouldn't hide the evidence.

Whoosh.

Ginny's head snapped towards the sound and her heart began to pound heavily.

She stilled.

Inhaling a slow breath, she forced her heart to slow as she scrutinised at the sky.

She scanned every inch of its inky black expanse, willing something to appear, to put her at ease.

Her fingers ached from the prolonged stillness and weight.

Her search started to become more frantic as the fruitless seconds ticked slowly by.

A distant movement caught her sight: too far to see clearly.

 _Finally! What is that?_

She peered at the tiny moving object, trying to distinguish its shape in the dark.

 _Whatever it is, it is too far away to see me with this disillusionment charm intact. All good, I suppose…_

She bit her lip and looked at the movement for a few more moments, eventually shaking her head and moved once more.

She'd slowed her decent until it was reminiscent of a sloth. Continuing down carefully – she hadn't built a successful career by rushing and making mistakes – she worked her way handhold by foothold towards the dewy grass.

Two meters from the ground, she looked around again.

The object was gone.

Seeing no one, she jumped outwards to avoid leaving impressions on the wet grass at the tower base.

Landing lightly with a roll, she moved stealthily towards the cover of the nearby trees.

At the tree, she paused; checking her surrounds methodically.

 _Nothing to see. Nothing to hear._

She crouched down and felt the ground for tremors.

 _And nothing to feel. All clear._

Stepping out from the cover, Ginny made her way to the lake. When she arrived at an area not visible from the school building, Ginny pulled out her illegal wand and cast 'Finite' at her face to make herself visible – no point making friends with the squid for it not to see her.

She moved to the waterside and knelt down, splashing her hand in the cold water in the same pattern she always used.

Bubbles soon rose from the lake and the giant squid emerged with water running down his protruding head. Its large eyes dilated and focused on her, tentacles immediately rising and starting to splash enthusiastically.

'Yes, I'm happy to see you too,' Ginny said with a grin of pure happiness at the creature's show of joy; although she cast another look around to ensure no one was alerted by the squid's excited noise.

A tentacle reached for her, searchingly, and she patted it.

'A slight change of routine today. I want to take you on a trip, can we do that?'

The squid rose a bit higher from the water.

 _I'll take that as a yes._

Lifting her wand, she added, 'This won't hurt, I promise; it is just that you are a little too large for me to carry all by myself.'

She swished her illegal wand through a simple spell and clearly annunciate, ' _Diminuendo Maxima._ '

The squid immediately began to shrink. Ginny keep the wand trained on the creature, magic continuing to flow to reduce it to a cute little critter. When it reached the size of a full grown niffler, Ginny ended the magic and smiled.

 _That worked even better than I hoped!_

Patting the bank, the miniaturised giant squid splashed enthusiastically forward. Ginny reached forward and rubbed its head gently.

'That okay?'

The squid started to roll in circles, before re-emerging and fluttering its tentacles again: tiny droplets hitting her instead of the usual soaking douses of water.

Pulling an item out of her pocket, Ginny quickly enlarged it to be slightly larger than the tiny squid and placed it on the ground. Flicking her wand, water from the lake started to float into the container.

'I need to transport you in this, so you don't get too dry. Can you hop in? I'll give you pineapple when we arrive.'

The tiny giant squid immediately put its limbs to work and clambered up the side and into the container. Ginny slipped the cover on to ensure it didn't fall out, and then used a spell to lighten its weight to that of a small bag of phoenix feathers.

Placing the container in a bag and pulling it over her shoulder, she steadied it at her side. She then followed the tree line into the Forbidden Forest. Once about three miles from the edge, she pulled out her career broom.

Mounting it, she shot high into the air. Reaching the chilly clouds, she encouraged the broom forward under their grey cover. Thanks to the miserable weather in the area, she would probably have cloud cover all the way to her destination and back.

After two hours, Ginny was starting to get sore and numb; despite the spells on the broom. She was trying not to move any more than absolutely needed to guide the broom so that she didn't upset the squid – last thing she needed was it releasing its magic and returning to normal size while attached to her miles above the ground. Flexing her fingers on the broom, she tried to also tense and relax her stiff muscles while holding the position.

A glance at her broom compass showed she was coming upon Wastwater. Angling down gently, she allowed the broom to dip below the cloud, so that she could check the landscape. Scanning the horizon, she saw an inky silk expanse.

 _The lake - finally!_

She slid back into the clouds and headed closer. Arriving over it, Ginny dropped down to skim the water. The wind rush caused ripples to shoot out from the speeding stick. Halting at the edge of the lake, Ginny jumped off the broom and pulled out the container, gently placing it by the water.

Opening the lid, she saw the miniature giant squid immediately pop up. It placed its tentacles on the edge of the container and pushed itself upright, looking around the area.

'We are in England, a neighbouring country. This is the biggest lake in the area, although you will have to stay small for now. I will come and get you later, in the meantime, you will have a holiday lake to explore.'

Ginny gestured towards the body of water and the squid immediately moved into it.

It rolled in the water and bobbed up and down. It lifted its limbs and ran them through the water, testing its feel. It released a high pitch keeling sound – much higher than normal thanks to its shorter vocal chords.

Ginny pulled small some pineapple pieces from a box in a pocket and tossed them to the tiny giant squid.

'Okay, I'll be back for you. Until then, stay hidden – no playing with people.'

The squid splashed the water and then sunk from view.

Ginny put the container, water included, back into her bag and immediately turned for home.

 _Well that was easy… but I suppose I still need to get back and avoid suspicion, and then I still need to bring the squid back since it likes life at Hogwarts._

Ginny had a much faster and more enjoyable flight home, able to move as she pleased. Landing back in the forbidden forest, she hustled back to the lake and dumped the excess water. She attached the broom and tank with straps to her back – wanting to avoid using magic to shrink them now she was back on Hogwarts grounds.

She then ran back towards the Gryffindor tower, she sped up as she neared and took a leap into the air so that there were no footprints at the base.

She bounced slightly on impact and slipped slightly. Her clothed knee scraping hard against the rock. Wincing in pain, Ginny managed to halt her fall by digging her stinging fingers into the jagged stone and after a few calming, pained breaths, began to climb back up; all the while cursing that the towers had charms to stop brooms being flow within fifteen feet of them unless it was an emergency.

Arriving at her dorm window, she paused below the ledge, listening carefully.

No sounds came.

She pulled upwards and peeked in the window. All dark inside.

Readjusting her grip, she pushed the window open gently and slipped through the gap quietly. Closing the window gently behind her, she moved over to her bed and placed the tank and broom underneath; they would be hidden by her trunk.

Next she shuffled out of her clothes and into her pyjamas. Sliding off the bed, she returned her items to the secure section of her trunk, mentally checking off each item as she hid it.

 _All accounted for and undamaged._

Then pushing the tank under her bed, Ginny crept into the attached bathroom and poured two-thirds of the potion that Madam Pomfrey had given her down the sink. Wiping her face, she then returned to bed, snuggled into her warm blankets and gulped down the remains of the potion.

Placing the vial in clear view, she cancelled the sound charms with a roommate's obliging wand and drifted into a content sleep with dreams of the tiny squid flying on a broomstick and batting bludgers with its tentacles.

* * *

 **A/N: What did you think? Did she pull it off successfully or will she get found out?  
If you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks all for the favourites/follows/reviews - I'm feeling super encouraged and happily fuzzy! Now for the next day XD Happy reading!

To the reviewers: **LonelyConfused** [Thank you! I'm super pleased to read your review!]; **Neakco** [Glad I can keep you guessing! That won't be for a while, much more to happen before then XD]; **Nutmeg44** [Maybe, maybe not XD]; **Indigo2014** [Thank you! You're so lovely!]; **Guest** [Thanks, glad to hear the 15 edits paid off! Maybe, maybe not XD ]; and **Guest** [Thanks].

* * *

Recap:

 _Placing the vial in clear view, she cancelled the sound charms with a roommate's obliging wand and drifted into a content sleep with dreams of the tiny squid flying on a broomstick and batting bludgers with its tentacles._

* * *

Ginny groaned as she was roughly shaken awake the next morning.

'What?' she moaned groggily through closed eyes.

'Ginny! Thank Godric you are finally awake! What is wrong? Why do you have an empty Hospital Ward vial?'

Ginny blinked blearily and tried to clear her sight. The figure standing over her – still shaking her harshly – started to come into focus; although the movement really didn't help.

Her head pounded and she closed her eyes tightly to try and force it to soften.

'Ow,' she groaned.

The offending hands immediately released her.

'Sorry, was I hurting you?' asked a frantic voice.

Ginny sat up slowly, hand to her head, and looked at the blurry girl.

'Hermione? What are you doing? Why did you wake me up – isn't it the weekend?' she asked, trying and failing to stifle a wide yawn.

Hermione picked up the Hospital Wing vial and shook it instead. 'You're dorm mates told Ron you were sick and still in bed, he sent me up to find out after falling down the staircase slide three times. He could have hurt himself!'

Waving her hand to subdue the frantic girl, Ginny said, 'I'm fine…ish. I just overdid myself at the Careers Day and Professor McGonagall sent me to the Hospital Ward with strict instructions to rest. Madam Pomfrey gave me the vial to help and I came back here early and went to sleep after drinking it.'

 _And technically that's all true._

'We were wondering what happened to you!' Hermione exclaimed with evident relief. 'So you are better now?'

'Mostly… I daresay waking up that way wasn't the best method,' she grouched and rubbed circles on her temple.

'Sorry,' Hermione replied sheepishly. 'It's just that I have been trying to wake you for five minutes and Ron is shouting constantly for updates.'

The door suddenly smacked open and a wide-eyed Hermione and Ginny snapped around towards it. Professor McGonagall stood in the doorway with lips pursed so tightly that they were like string.

'Mr Weasley informed me that you were dying, Miss Weasley. Clearly, however, he appears to have been rather too dramatic in his assessment.'

'I'm sorry, Professor, he is, as you correctly suggest, wrong; I was still sleeping under the effects of Madam Pomfrey's potion – my brother must have panicked.'

'Hmm, very well. Are you better?'

'Much, thank you,' Ginny replied sweetly.

'Then you best get up and have breakfast so you can do your Transfiguration homework today,' Professor McGonagall replied, swiftly departing the room with sharp movements.

'I'd better go down and fill Ron in: we will wait for you,' Hermione said, lightly patting Ginny's arm. Ginny forced herself not to shake of the mothering gesture and stayed still until the older girl left her in peace to get ready.

After quickly shrinking the squid's container and hiding it in her trunk, Ginny eventually appeared downstairs, still nursing a mild headache.

She found Harry attempting to stifle a grin, Hermione rolling her eyes with hair frizzier than ever, and a sheepish, red-faced Ron waiting for her.

Ginny shook her head at Ron and smiled. 'You're an idiot,' she said fondly.

'How was I supposed to know you were just sleeping!' he moaned.

'You were supposed to wait for Hermione,' Harry answered for her.

'She was gone forever!' Ron replied.

'A few minutes, Ron,' Hermione corrected.

'Ron has detention on Tuesday night for waking McGonagall because he jumped to preposterous conclusions,' Harry added. 'Fortunately, McGonagall didn't make me reschedule our quidditch practise by assigning it on Monday.'

'How good of her,' Ginny answered. 'Right, so how about breakfast?'

'Yes,' Ron agreed loudly and began to lead the way towards the common room exit.

Hermione smiled indulgently at the redheaded boy and followed. Harry cast a longing glance at Ginny, which she promptly ignored and followed her enthusiastic brother.

The Great Hall was its normal Saturday morning bustle to Ginny's keen disappointment. The older Slytherins were all absent – rumour had it that they often had parties on Friday nights; although Ginny had yet to confirm that. The Ravenclaws, always early risers, were drifting from the hall in their various study groups. And the Hufflepuffs were chatting happily to each other; some arriving, others leaving. The early riser Gryffindors were laughing loudly and shouting greetings to their friends, the late risers blinked sleepily. At the teacher table, the professors and Hagrid sipped pots of tea and watched the students flittering around under their eye; McGonagall sending a glare at Ron, which caused him to flush again.

 _Well, I suppose it is unlikely that the squid being missing would have been discovered so soon… pity. Guess I'll just have to be patient._

Ginny split from the trio with a wave and headed to sit with Luna and Kate who usually spent Saturday mornings with her.

'Morning!' Ginny called with a cheer despite her throbbing head.

 _Tea, I need tea; that will fix my head right up. Everything is better with tea._

'Hi,' Kate replied with a smile as she shuffled along to make room for her Gryffindor friend.

'Aloha,' Luna said.

'Huh?' Ginny raised an eyebrow at Kate for an explanation.

'Luna has been trying to learn hello in as many languages as possible,' Kate explained.

'Oh, good skill, I suppose,' Ginny replied.

'I want to travel after school to find exotic creatures. I need to know how to say hello to them,' Luna added.

'Isn't "aloha" a Muggle word?' Kate asked.

'Yes, but I'm sure magical creatures in Hawaii will understand it,' Luna said blithely, not looking up from a book propped in front of her.

'Riiight,' Kate drawled with a bemused look at Ginny.

Ginny smirked and sat down.

'Did you find your dream career yesterday, Kate?' Ginny asked.

'Maybe. I did think about working in runes or ancient artefacts. The British Magical Museum had a booth and are keen for students with my scores and interests.'

Ginny's attention tweaked at that.

 _Rare ancient artefacts – no I can't steal something she works on – unless it can't be traced back to her... No – if she tells me something that isn't common knowledge by accident then I could be tracked down. Well that sucks._

'Mm hmm,' Ginny acknowledged.

Kate continued talking on the subject, speaking faster and faster as she became more overtaken by her passion. Ginny munched on her breakfast, nodding along with her friend's gestures, until finally breaking in. 'It's obvious that you want to do this – I say go for it. You have to love your job!'

Kate nodded with a grin. 'You're right, I don't know why I'm hesitating.'

Kate jumped up from her seat.

'Where are you going?' Ginny asked startled at her friend's abrupt departure.

'To fill out my application for the position,' Kate called as she rushed from the table.

Ginny watched her leave, mouth agape in surprise.

Luna chuckled beside her. 'You did tell her to "go for it".'

'I didn't expect her to do it right now,' Ginny said with a bemused shake of her head. 'So, what should we do today?'

 _Please say 'go to the lake'._

'I think Meadow has training when they drag themselves out of bed, and Kate will probably be a while. How about we go to see the unicorns in Hagrid's paddock?' Luna suggested as she closed her book.

'Okay,' Ginny chirped, carefully to hide her disappointment.

The two girls headed outside and frowned. The sky was grey and rain drizzled down.

'What lovely Scottish weather,' Ginny groused.

Luna flicked her wand and created an Impervious Charm over them. 'That should hold for an hour. Shall we?'

Ginny jumped out of the doorway onto the muddy ground with a squelch and laughed loudly.

'Seems to be holding,' she added as she held her hands palm up to the sky and felt no droplets hit her.

Luna smiled and followed her intrepid friend into the storm to see the unicorns; after all, there was nothing as beautiful as a pure white unicorn dancing in a glistening rain shower... except, maybe, one in the evening mist.

* * *

The weekend passed without any news of the squid – thanks, no doubt, to the constant rain.

As she sat in potions class the following Monday, Ginny had to force herself not to pout that the squid had yet to be discovered missing. On the upside, she had been in the company of others the entire time since Friday, so if it wasn't discovered that the squid was stolen on Friday night, she had an excellent alibi lined up.

Determined not to be caught looking dejected, she cast her mind to try and find a new focus topic. Her eyes landed on Draco, who was by her side, slouched in his chair as his black quill twirled between his deft fingers. She scowled.

 _Not him, think of something else._

They had yet to start any potion work today, Professor Snape stood at the front, lecturing them on blood in potions.

 _Okay, blood in potions; that will do. How many are there…_

'What are the four methods of preparing Wizarding blood before adding it to a potion?' Professor Snape asked the class in a bored tone.

Hermione's hand immediately shot into the air.

Professor Snape sneered at the bushy-haired girl.

 _Give it up, Hermione, you're just annoying him._

'Anyone?' he asked.

Hermione began to wriggle her hand to attract attention, causing Ginny to roll her eyes.

With another glance at the eager Muggle-born, Snape added, 'No one?'

Hermione whimpered slightly and Ginny heard Draco chuckle slightly beside her. Ginny scowled at him, but it wasn't very effective as she was trying to hold in her own amusement. Professor Snape was, clearly, intentionally ignoring her brother's admirer and the distress was really not necessary. Professor Snape knew if he always allowed her to answer, then no one else would bother to prepare for class; so her raised hand was not something he appreciated given the volatile nature of potion brewing.

'Very well then, Miss Granger, since it seems you can't help but be the class know-it-all. The answer,' Professor Snape demanded.

'There are only three methods,' Hermione replied primly – Draco immediately turned his focus completely towards the Muggle-born, an anticipatory smirk spread over his face, as Ginny stiffened.

 _Did she really just declare that Professor Snape is wrong? In front of the entire class! This is not going to end well._

Ginny glanced at the Professor; he was sneering, but didn't interrupt his student's answer.

Hermione continued on, oblivious to the foolishness of correcting the Potions Master in such a way. 'The first option is to add the blood fresh and still at body temperature. The second is to mix it with another ingredient and then add it. The third and final is to add the blood frozen.'

Hermione looked at the professor with a smug smile and Ginny's head shook in disbelief with wide eyes.

'Fifteen points from Gryffindor for your insufferable assumption that you know this basic subject matter better than a Potions Master and for insisting you knew the correct answer when you did not. Mr Malfoy, the fourth method please.'

'You dry the blood completely before adding it as a fine ground powder,' Draco drawled beside her.

'Ten points to Slytherin.'

Hermione's jaw dropped. 'But the course book only lists three!'

'This textbook,' Professor Snape said, lifting the book in question off Pansy's desk, 'does not tell you everything you will ever need to know about potions, obviously. And that's five points from Gryffindor for speaking out of turn, Miss Granger.'

Hermione folded her arms and glared at the tabletop. Ginny could see the older girl's eyes sparkling with unshed tears at Professor Snape's set down. She felt a pang of pity for the girl, until she recalled that Hermione had assumed she knew better than their professor, tried to correct him in a full class, was wrong, and then continue to disrupt the class by trying to insist it wasn't fair. And Professor Snape hadn't been that harsh in his reprimand – for him anyway.

 _She really can be a pain to share a class with – we could be discussing blood potions instead of listening to her argue this point and noticing Draco… sod it!_

'Over the next month you will have individual assignments. Since this is seventh year potions, I have a "challenge" for you – although I daresay most of you will fail in this task. You will each chose a potion to improve. It may be any potion from this textbook. You will document your research and theory for the improvements. You will be given class time to brew the potion. Brewing and testing will be under my supervision and permission only. Choose one potion to use and I will approve or disapprove your choice at the end of the lesson.'

The students immediately began to search through their texts and the professor came over to his advanced students.

'I have higher expectations of you two. Miss Weasley, you must design your own potion from scratch. Mr Malfoy, you must design two new potions and improve one from a different book – since I have already improved most of these ones.' Snape flicked his wand and tapped the table, a book appeared on the spot and Draco pulled it closer towards him.

The professor left and Ginny glanced at Draco with apprehension.

'You shouldn't find creating a new potion too hard if you can find something that has yet to be developed,' Draco reassured, his lip twitching up at the corner. 'And you can always go for an entirely new approach to creating an existing potion.'

Ginny wasn't comforted and her eyes darted frantically around the room, trying to think of something to make.

'Is this a test?' Ginny asked.

'Yes. I passed last year – hence why I need to create two. Most people won't manage to do the improvements – they won't be failed unless their reasoning theory is completely wrong. And you won't be dropped from advanced if you can't get it – but I'll point you in the right direction. Now be quiet for a bit while I try and think of two potions to create.'

Ginny nodded and chewed her cheek distractedly.

 _New potion, new potion, new potion. Crap, where are Fred and George when I need them, they would be able to think of—Fred and George, their book! I need something to make it temporarily invisible for when I return it. I can create a potion to do that!_

She pulled her text towards her and started to flip through the book. There was one potion for invisibility, but it was for use on something living for a maximum of ten minutes.

 _This should be different enough to please Professor Snape; inanimate object and longer time period._

She quickly moved on to the potion creation section. It was only short – given it wasn't standard course material – but it was a start.

 _I need a base, something for a temporary effect of a few hours. I'll also need to figure out what can create invisibility – unicorn hair, obviously, hmm will Snape let me use such an expensive ingredient?_

Just before the end of class, Draco looked over.

'You decided on something yet?'

'Yes,' she replied.

'Will you need a hand with research?'

'Are you offering?'

Draco shrugged. 'I'll have to research for mine anyway. I'll be in the library on Wednesday night.'

Ginny nodded. 'I'll see you on Wednesday after dinner then.'

 _I really hope he doesn't have his usual crowd of hangers on; I do not want to have to deal with that jealous, psychotic mob._

As they left the classroom, everyone walked via Professor Snape's desk to get the required approval.

She drifted towards the back of the group's haphazard line, Professor Snape nodding expressionlessly when he heard her idea of moderate length invisibility potion for inanimate objects. Ginny then swiftly left the room and was joined by Harry, Hermione, and Ron when she arrived outside.

Hermione was already talking at full speed about her plans, apparently her embarrassment forgotten. Ron and Harry started discussing quidditch quietly, leaving Ginny to deal with Hermione.

'Which potion will you be improving, Ginny? I hope you choose something from the first quarter of the book – those ones should be easier for you…'

 _Does she not hear how condescending that sounds? Probably not, she isn't intentionally a bitch. I wonder if I can get away with not saying which one so that she doesn't find out I'm creating one._

'Come on, Ginny, which one is it?'

 _Guess not._

'Professor Snape gave me a slightly different project,' she admitted.

'Really? I'm glad he thought to make yours easier - what do you need to do?'

A spike of annoyance shot through her.

'I am designing a new potion,' Ginny said crisply.

Hermione froze on the spot and caused Ron to stumble into her. Her blushing brother was immediately apologising and holding Hermione up to keep her stable, but the bushy-haired girl didn't seem to notice.

Blinking at Ginny, she eventually stuttered, 'A—a new potion?'

'Yes.'

'But that's hard!'

 _You don't say,_ she thought sarcastically.

'Yes.'

'Why can't I do that too?'

'You'll have to ask Professor Snape that question,' Ginny answered.

Ron blanched at the thought and Harry paled. Harry grabbed hold of Hermione's arm as she seemed to waiver between disbelief and marching straight back to the classroom to demand the same task and Harry didn't think Professor Snape was likely to be amenable to any more of Hermione today after her earlier outburst.

'Come on, Hermione, it is lunch time.'

'But—' she said weakly.

 _Ugh, this is going to be tiresome - time to go,_ Ginny decided, and silently slipped away as the boys tried to reason with Hermione.

* * *

 **A/N: How irritating for Ginny, she steals a giant squid and no-one notices!  
If you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks all for the favourites/follows/reviews - I'm feeling super encouraged and happily fuzzy! Sadly no Draco mentions in this chapter, but soon. Happy reading!

To the reviewers: **LonelyConfused** [Thank you!]; **Neakco** [Random facts are good, and I hadn't heard that one so it might be useful XD And, yes, I think you can count it ;) ]; and **BlackRose851** [Thanks!].

* * *

Recap:

 _'Come on, Hermione, it is lunch time.'_

 _'But—' she said weakly._

 _Ugh, this is going to be tiresome - time to go, Ginny decided, and silently slipped away as the boys tried to reason with Hermione._

* * *

On Tuesday morning when Ginny entered the Great Hall alone, there was a marked difference to usual goings-on and a tingle of hope treaded itself through her veins.

Usually students from different houses, except Slytherin, tended to occasionally sit with friends from other houses during breakfast or lunch: today, students from every house were scurrying between tables – not pausing for more than a few minutes to eat a mouthful before moving on.

 _Hmm, have they finally figured out that the squid has disappeared?_

The Slytherins were snickering or smirking, eyes glittering with malicious humour. The Hufflepuffs' taunt, jumpy bodies and wide red eyes showed they were truly panicked and upset. The Ravenclaws were passionately debating something with large gestures. And the Gryffindors were red-faced and seething.

But all this was nothing compared to the teachers' table.

At its centre sat Dumbledore, miserable and shocked as his dim eyes stared aimlessly and his mouth opened and closed without a sound escaping him.

 _Merlin! Really, it's not like there was chopped up pieces of squid littering the lawn – it has just disappeared! I would have left a note telling everyone it was on holiday, but then you could trace it back to me. Way to assume the worst,_ she thought while batting down her eye roll.

McGonagall sat at Dumbledore's side, severe expression at the Slytherin table and subtly rubbing the Headmaster's arm; Ginny tried not to scoff at her blatant prejudice.

 _It would probably give her a heart attack to find it was one of her precious Gryffindors behind this._

Ginny's gaze continued along the table to Hagrid who was noisily crying into a massive yellow handkerchief and wailing 'Marshmallow left me!', while the divination fraud nodding knowingly by his side.

 _Marshmallow – really? For a squid‽_

Ginny pushed a curious expression onto her face as she continued walking into the hall. For a moment, she considered finding out the details from Kate, but then decided to head for the trio who didn't know her true character nearly as well.

'What's going on?' Ginny asked as she grabbed a seat between Dean and Ron.

Hermione leaned over the table towards her. 'The giant squid is missing!'

 _Ha – yes! Now the hunt for the squid and culprit will begin_ , she thought as adrenaline charged through her body.

'What? How can something that big go missing?' Ginny asked in a confused tone.

'They don't know. Some of the Hufflepuffs overheard Dumbledore, Hagrid, and McGonagall talking on their way in from the lake before breakfast. It seems that it didn't show up when Hagrid went to check on it recently – this morning he took Dumbledore with him, as he thought the giant squid might be ill as it doesn't normally hide. But they did a magical sweep of the lake and it's not registering as there.'

'But how could it leave? The lake doesn't connect to anything,' Ginny said.

'Duh, someone has stolen the squid,' Ron said.

'Probably a Slytherin by the smirks on their faces,' Harry added nastily with a glare to the table of green.

'You think a student stole the squid?' Ginny asked doubtfully. 'Why would they do that?'

'The magical giant squid is actually really rare,' Hermione explained, 'and it could be worth a lot of money on the black market – or they might just keep it for their own collection.'

'Just like a Slytherin,' Ron muttered.

'I don't think a student would be smart enough,' Hermione reasoned.

'You would be,' Ron immediately countered with a blush.

A smile flickered to Hermione's face and Ginny watched as the girl struggled to supress it. 'Perhaps, but I'm top of the school and didn't do it.'

'Headmaster Dumbledore looks really upset. I think we should help investigate,' Harry said.

Ron nodded enthusiastically.

'Okay, I'm in, but I promise you, Ron, I will still find out who cursed your pillow into a spider,' Hermione decided.

'Thanks, Hermione, I know I can count on you,' Ron agreed. 'When you have your mind on something, it's like you're possessed.'

 _Ron, only you would think calling someone possessed would be a compliment! It really isn't a nice feeling or situation._

'Erm, thank you, Ron,' Hermione replied hesitantly, face scrunched in scepticism.

'You in, Gin?' Harry asked, promptly trying to move the conversation on from his friend's thoughtlessness.

Nose twitching, she replied, 'I'll try and help out when I can, but surely there will be professionals investigating.'

At that moment, two men and two women in Ministry robes entered the Great Hall. They looked stoic as they gazed at the students. One man stepped slightly forward and cleared his throat. Silence descended and everyone looked at him curiously.

'Thank you for your attention. I am Senior Investigator Lawrence Longhawn. Joining me are Junior Investigator Andrew Ash, Senior Creature Specialist Natalie Newt, and Junior Creature Specialist Paula Pheonix. We are investigating the disappearance of the rare Giant Squid. I need to ask some quick questions, rest assured no one is in any trouble – at this point. Please stand if you saw the Giant Squid yesterday; that's Monday.'

No one moved from their seats, the few student who had been moving between tables, quickly found a seat.

'Please stand if you saw the Giant Squid the day before on Sunday.'

A few shifted in their seats, but no one stood.

'Please stand if you saw the Giant Squid on the last Saturday.'

A few people coughed and someone began to giggle nervously. The investigators eyes honed in on the noise makers with a judgmental expression.

'Please stand if you saw the Giant Squid last Friday.'

As one, over three-quarters of the students stood, Ginny included; it had been diligently trying to splash the Careers Day tents.

'Stay standing if you saw it after breakfast.'

Everyone stayed upright. A Hufflepuff sneezed and the Auror switched his intimidating focus onto the boy.

'Stay standing if you saw it after lunch.'

No one moved, knowing they would be judged it they did.

'Stay standing if you saw it after sunset.'

Ginny and everyone else sat down in a rumple of noise.

The investigator sighed unhappily.

The students muttered amongst themselves until the investigator cleared his throat again. 'If anyone saw anything suspicious on Friday, or saw anyone interacting with the squid on that day, please come and see me between 9 am and 12 pm today in the classroom next door. That will be all.'

The four ministry workers then strode out of the door.

'So the squid was stolen on the Careers Day,' Harry said.

'It makes sense, the wards would have been down to let all those people in – hundreds of additional wizards and witches wandering around the school – it will be a nightmare to solve this. So many options.'

'Guess you were right and it couldn't have been a student,' Ron chuckled. 'That said, if Hagrid didn't have direct access to it, I wouldn't have put it passed him—'

'Shh!' Hermione admonished sharply, 'there are probably a heap of spells listening in to our conversations right now; you could inadvertently get him in trouble by joking around like that.'

Ron looked abashed as he dropped his head.

 _Hmm, Hermione does have a point, it might be best to assume our privacy is being ignored – not that it is something new,_ Ginny mused as she played with her house badge.

The rest of the day passed quickly, with occasional interruptions by the investigators as they came through the rooms to check random facts. It quickly became apparent that the students were ruled out; Ginny wasn't one hundred percent sure of the reason, but figured it had to do with the wretched monitoring house badges.

As she sat down to dinner at the Gryffindor table, her eyebrows furrowed together at the sight of a smirking Snape.

 _What's he up to?_

The answer was apparent only a few minutes later when the food appeared and Dumbledore paled while Hagrid burst into sobs. Squid cooked in five different ways adorned all the table tops for dinner. Given Snape's grin and the fact that this food had never been served at Hogwarts in the past, Ginny knew the Potions Master was responsible for the menu change.

Ginny bit her lip to hide her grin.

 _Who knew the Professor had such a wicked sense of humour… the twins will probably faint when I tell them!_

Covering her snort of amusement at the twin's disbelief with a cough, she glanced up the table and saw Hermione's face in an uncanny resemblance to McGonagall's – a displeased and unamused glare directed at Snape. Snape continued to smirk as he dug into his dinner with gusto. The Gryffindors who had realised what the food was, determinedly ate vegetables instead.

* * *

It was clear the next day that despite the investigators ruling out the students, the teachers were not so fortunate.

Ginny, Luna, and Kate sat in Care of Magical Creatures listening to Hagrid expound on how sweet Welsh green dragons were – something Ginny was certain she was not going to test in person – when the investigators interrupted.

Senior Investigator Longhawn announced in a professional tone, 'I do apologise, students, for the interruption. We just need to go over some information with your teacher, however our Junior Creature Specialist Paula Phoenix will be happy to provide you with her experience with erm… what are you learning?'

'About Welsh green dragons,' Kate piped up.

'Right, thank you, Miss. Paula will be a fount of information on these dragons.'

Junior Creature Specialist Paula Phoenix bounced forwards to the front of the group while the other three Ministry workers led Hagrid off to the side and out of hearing.

'Good afternoon, are you all super excited to be learning about the Welsh green dragons?' she said in a cheerful and high tone with a wide insincere grin.

Ginny contained her glare at been treated like a seven year old. The shifting around her assuring Ginny that she wasn't the only one to take objection to their temporary replacement.

'Excuse me, Ms Phoenix,' Luna said, hand sliding into the air.

'Yes, did you have a question for me?' Ms Phoenix asked perkily.

'Yes, are you aware that you have been attacked by Nargles?'

The lady blinked at Luna, as Kate and Ginny snickered softly.

'Nargles?'

'Mm,' Luna replied dreamily. 'They can cause personality changes, and you clearly have had one if you think we are to be treated as six year olds.'

 _Hmm, since when is Luna less generous than me, I at least gave her seven year olds._

The Junior Creature Specialists head snapped backwards sharply and her eyes darted over the students.

'Detention,' she snapped, 'Miss erm…'

'Luna Lovegood,' Luna said vaguely.

'Detention, Miss Lovegood.'

'Hmm, you do know that you don't have the authority to give me detention, don't you? You aren't a teacher. Never mind, those Nargles can also be very disrupting to a person's reasoning.'

The temporary teacher wavered for a moment, as if she couldn't decide between being furious or agape at Luna's audacity.

'How dare you!' came Hagrid's boom of outrage, inadvertently saving the teacher from a bewildering argument with Luna.

Everyone swivelled to face him.

His face was red and his eyes wide, as he threw his arms in furious gestures.

'Mr Hagrid, please came down – it is not our fault that a student named you as a potential culprit.'

'I would never hurt or hide Marshmellow! Who said I did this? It was a Slytherin, wasn't it?' he all but howled.

'I'll have you know that my little sister was a Slytherin,' the junior investigator answered with a scowl. 'But, nevertheless, it was actually a Gryffindor. A Mr Ronald Weasley – surely he can be trusted.'

Gasps swirled around Ginny at her brother's name.

 _Ron said- ah, yes, in the Great Hall after the announcement he said some rubbish. I wonder what he will do when he finds out he's caused this debacle. Still, Hagrid will be fine, there is no proof he is the culprit…_

'Students, you may have the rest of the class to study elsewhere,' Ms Phoenix said over her shoulder as she rushed to support her colleagues against the huge, enraged teacher.

Ginny grabbed her books and Luna, quickly dragging her friend away before the woman remembered the argument with her blond friend. Kate picking up her own and Luna's items, before dashing to catch up to them.

'Hagrid would never do such a thing,' Kate started, shaking her head. 'Why did your brother accuse him?'

'I don't think he did, I think he just said something in a place where conversations were being monitored.'

'Monitored?' Kate asked with a frown.

'The Great Hall after the squid disappeared,' Ginny answered with a shrug. 'Hermione thought it was possible.'

Kate nodded distractedly as she thought about the invasion of privacy.

'I do hope that lady recovers from the Nargles before she remembers about my detention,' Luna said randomly as she collected Kate's arm and led her towards the common room, leaving Ginny to go to her own.

* * *

 **A/N: I had fun with the side characters in this chapter (particularly Luna and Snape) - I hope you enjoyed them too! As always, if you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Merry Christmas all! Hope you have an awesome year to come! Thanks all for the favourites/follows/reviews - they have been fantastic to receive! D/G fun in this chapter, happy reading!

To the reviewers: **LonelyConfused** [Hmm, that would have been entertaining - but I daresay he would have been caught red-handed as he returned it, with his luck! Thanks, I do like writing Luna]; **Neakco** [Glad to hear it. Oh, so much more to happen than just that!]; **AzaleaMarie** [I'm glad you are enjoying the intrigue. She is: my characters are never perfect, and, sadly, Ginny would make a very terrible career thief if she felt any guilt for her thefts - it would niggle at her until she turned herself in. Unfortunately, it is easy to forget to consider how your actions/non-actions effect others - family, friends, and unknowns alike.]; **Guest1** [Thanks, they are fun!]; **Guest2** [Cheers, and yes, much more D/G in this chapter]; **Guest3** [Ron indeed. *shakes head* Glad to hear you are enjoying the story and thanks for confirming the grammar etc (yes, single inverted commas do throw some people given the massive amount of double inverted commas on , but I swear it's right!)]; and **Ladytigerlili** [Thank you!].

* * *

Recap:

 _'Monitored?' Kate asked with a frown._

 _'The Great Hall after the squid disappeared,' Ginny answered with a shrug. 'Hermione thought it was possible.'_

 _Kate nodded distractedly as she thought about the invasion of privacy._

 _'I do hope that lady recovers from the Nargles before she remembers about my detention,' Luna said randomly as she collected Kate's arm and led her towards the common room, leaving Ginny to go to her own._

* * *

That evening after dinner, where Ron had looked close to exploding when he heard about what had befallen Hagrid during class thanks to his loose lips, Ginny headed towards the library to meet Draco for help with her potion.

Ginny was actually a little excited by the prospect of creating a potion. The excitement did not even brush on the edge of what she felt when she completed a successful heist, but she still felt a light thrill. She licked her lips as she tried to figure out what Draco would say about her chosen attempt, tasting a slight hint of chocolate from her dessert.

Surprised and embarrassed by the taste, she quickly scrubbed the back of her hand over her mouth to remove any other evidence of the chocolate; she didn't need, or want, Draco to see it.

Reaching the library, she pushed open the heavy wooden doors and slipped inside, the smell of dust tickling her nose.

Scanning the main seating area for bright blond hair or a gaggle of giggling girls without success, Ginny began to check the lesser used tables towards the back.

She eventually found the blond, blessedly no gaggle in sight, and dropped her books heavily on the table – causing him to jump and send a glare at her.

'I see you are as polite as always, Ginevra,' he snarked as he brushed imaginary dust from his robes.

Ginny smiled blithely in reply and slid into the chair opposite his.

He returned his focus to his work and continued to write. Ginny frowned and as she waited impatiently, leaning forward she began to read his work upside down to see what he had chosen for his potions.

 _Adding adder venom before removing cauldron from burner will cause explosion – add only after potion has cooled!_

Draco slapped his quill onto his parchment, hand covering the work.

'Nosey, aren't you?'

'I prefer inquisitive.'

'Snoop.'

'Like you can talk,' she answered with a shrug, leaning back into her chair.

'Okay, I'll stop my train of thought just for you,' he said with derision.

'Glad you think so highly of me to do so.'

Draco stilled for a moment, watching her closely with narrowed eyes.

'Or maybe you are just that irritating,' he drawled, body relaxing back into his chair.

'Hardly complimentary.'

Draco shrugged. 'So what is you potion to be?'

'A temporary invisibility potion for small inanimate objects.'

Draco nodded, considering the options. 'Good choice. Not too hard given it is for small inanimate objects and temporary. Some expensive ingredients – so Snape will only probably give you two trail attempts at most. Want to give me the details of the object?'

'Does it matter?'

'The more details I know, the more I can help.'

'I was thinking to use it on previously living substances like parchment and leather.'

'A book then.'

'Not necessarily – but I figured it should be animal and plant or mineral, and I'm not choosing mineral: I'd hate to accidently lose any of my jewellery.'

'You don't wear jewellery – I didn't think you owned any.'

'Maybe I just lose it enough without adding a potion into the mix.'

'And here I thought that you weren't forgetful.'

'I'm not, but things go missing occasionally. Anyway, I've chosen processed animal/plant products.'

'Fair enough, good to make the distinction… sure you're not planning on taunting the beaver?'

'I've already pointed out the problem with that name.'

Draco rolled his eyes. 'The bush-haired irritant then.'

'No,' she replied with a sweet smile.

'A library book? They have wards as well.'

'I suppose it should work on warded items – that could have advantages.'

'You clearly have a particular book in mind.'

'Do I? It could be your shoes.'

'What have my shoes ever done to you?'

'Let you creep up on me.'

'Creep is not a word that I associate with.'

'Sneak?'

He shot her a sneer.

'Slither, skulk, sidle?'

'If you like "S's" so much, you should have been in Slytherin.'

'Is that a requirement?'

'Perhaps for a Weasley.'

Ginny sent him an amused smirk. 'I think I prefer the warm and cosy Gryffindor tower.'

'Certainly a book then; given that impressive tangent. Who's book? Your own?'

Ginny scrunched her face in confusion to detract from his spot on accusation. 'Now you're grasping.'

'Or I'm closer than ever.' Draco waved his hand dismissively and asked, 'What is you plan for its creation?'

'I figured that I need to find the objects and combinations which can be used for invisibility – and select the most suitable – based on temporary and the type of object to be used on (paper, metal, etc. After that, I will need to select an appropriate base to combine the needed items cohesively.'

Draco pushed his lips together and rubbed his chin. 'I suggest you start with Adelsbury's "Guide to Rare Ingredients".'

Ginny gave him a brilliant smile with a 'Thanks', and then bounced up to search for the book.

Five minutes later she returned to the desk after unsuccessfully scouring the shelves.

Draco smirked at her scowl and pushed a book from his own pile towards her.

'Prat,' she said with mild annoyance as she checked the title to see that it was Adelsbury's book.

A small smiled hovered around his lips in reply and then he returned to his own work.

Ginny sunk back into her chair and search the index for objects with invisible properties.

 _Of course it would only be divided by locations in the world, rather than attributes._

With the realisation that the search through the book would be time consuming, she slouched into her chair and started to flip slowly through the pages.

Two hours later, Ginny had finished the book and had a list of five ingredients to potentially use. She had discarded only two without further thought.

Next she would have to research each individual one to check it could be used on various substances – the time scale of the invisibility would be mostly created by the amount used.

She mulled over other possible books, before deciding to just raid Draco's pile. She started shuffling though his books, an action which quick caught his attention.

'Yes?' he drawled, eyes focused intensely on her.

'I'm just looking for another useful book – I figured I'd check these ones first,' she answered in an unconcerned tone.

'You found the ingredients already?'

'Five potentials – I just need to check their compatibility with various substances.'

'There are seven that I can think of.'

'I refuse to use two of them.'

'Which and why?' he demanded.

Ginny grimaced, but obliged him with an answer. 'Unicorn blood is out – no way am I using such a dangerous substance; if some idiot drank my potion by accident they would live a half-life.'

'Thinking of your brother?' he asked with a faux innocent expression.

'Shut up,' she said with a mix of amusement and tired annoyance.

He smirked. 'And the second?'

'Chameleon eyes are also out. They have to be harvested from a live creature to work, and that is just needlessly cruel.'

'Wise choices; Snape would be appalled if you proposed using either of those ingredients when there are alternatives.'

'Then why did you argue it?' she asked with irritation.

'I didn't, just asked for justification; I wanted to check which you choose to disregard and why. To be honest, I'm surprised that you still plan to use the house elf dust.'

'Why would that bother me?'

'I figured you would be supportive of the bush-haired gnat's hobbies – one of which is spew.'

'I think the goals of S.P.E.W. are quite ridiculous. Yes, I agree the house elves should be treated well and with respect, but they would go into depression if they are freed or paid – due to the magical backlash from the ending of the relationship to the house and family; Hermione doesn't understand that. What is smart in the Muggle world, doesn't always translate across to the Magical world. As for using their dust, I'm sure they are only too happy to supply it – gathering it doesn't not hurt or injure the house elf, so I have no objections.'

Draco's eyes were glimmering with something when she looked at him.

'What?'

Blanking his face, he answered, 'Fair enough. Next book I suggest using is Braithweight's "House Elves, the definitive guide".'

Ginny started shuffling through his books.

'I don't have it,' he replied.

Ginny shrugged and disappeared into the shelves once more, this time quickly locating the book, despite some cynicism.

They spent another hour studying, before a bell sounded throughout the school to indicate curfew would be in effect in fifteen minutes.

 _Damn, I'm almost finished with this book! Still, I can probably sneak back without being noticed._

Draco just turned his page beside her, not making any move to pack up either.

 _Screw it, I'll make it without being caught._

Ginny stayed seated, hurrying through the pages.

Fifteen minutes later, Draco closed his books and leaned back in his chair, watching her work. Ginny, now on her last page, didn't notice.

 _Almost, almost, ha – done! House elves down, four to go._

She closed the book with a smug expression and set her quill on her parchment.

'All done?'

'Yes, now I just need to get back to the common room without being seen.'

'I can help with that - ten points from Gryffindor for being out after curfew,' he drawled with a smirk.

 _Salazar damn you! How could I forget he is a prefect._

She scowled at him. 'That hardly helps.'

'Sure it does, now if Snape or Filch catch you, you can't get a detention.'

She sent him a contemptuous look.

He snickered. 'Come on, I'll walk you back,' he said, picking up her now filled bag along with his own.

'I can carry my own things,' she replied, eyeing her belongings.

'Hardly gentlemanly of me to let you though.'

'Since when are you a gentleman.'

'I've always been a gentleman – to those who matter.'

'And I matter,' she asked with a raised eyebrow and disbelieving tone.

'Absolutely,' he replied sincerely.

Ginny felt a flutter in her stomach, but stamped on it.

 _The prat just took house points – I will not flirt with him. And he's a prat! A stupid, intelligent, unusually helpful, ridiculously handsome prat…_

Halfway to the common room the two were flirting despite Ginny's earlier resolve, when Neville came across them. Neville looked at Ginny with disappointment and then nodded to Malfoy, who returned the acknowledgement in kind.

'What are you doing out of your common room after curfew, Ginny?' Neville asked with a frown.

'She was studying in the library too hard. I am escorting her back to the Gryffindor common room,' Draco broke in.

'I can speak for myself,' Ginny muttered.

Neville raised an eyebrow at Draco who just smiled back benignly.

'Hmm. I'm sorry, Ginny, but given that everyone was reminded at dinner that the curfew was being strictly enforced right now, I'll have to give you detention.'

'Hmm, I forgot about that,' Draco mused.

'I doubt that, since prefects were reminded in writing as well,' Neville answered with assured doubt.

Draco shrugged. 'I forgot about that rule and already took house points for the misdemeanour.'

A small smile flitted across Neville's face and he answered with sarcasm, 'What a pity! Well it would be very wrong to overrule a prefect.'

'That is would,' Draco agreed with his own smirk.

'I guess I'll have to leave you with just the point deduction then, Ginny. Don't forget next time, Malfoy,' Neville said with a wave of his hand, before he moved passed them and down the corridor.

Ginny stretched up and rested the back of her hand lightly on Draco's forehead. 'Hmm, I was sure you were sick – or maybe I am…' She put her other hand on her own head. 'Nope, fever free. Although surely I did not just see you and Neville scheming together to keep me out of detention.'

'I have no idea what you are talking about. Now leave me be,' he said, but he didn't pull away from her hand still against his face. 'I'm quite put out that I could have given you detention and didn't.'

Ginny laughed heartily.

'Draco Malfoy, did you just do something nice for me?'

'In case you have forgotten, I also just spent three hours helping you with a project for Snape.'

'Hmm, I suppose that I'd better do everything on my bucket list tonight.'

'Why is that?'

'Because Hell is freezing over and the end of the world is coming.'

He shoved her lightly and started leading the way to her common room once more. Ginny laughed again, but followed happily, deciding just to let herself feel the emotions of happiness and excitement that swirled inside of her.

'Good evening, madam,' Draco said to the Fat Lady when they arrived at the portrait.

'Miss Weasley, out again!' the Fat Lady scolded.

'I have reported Miss Weasley's late night wandering to the appropriate person,' Draco interrupted.

'Oh—you have?' the portrait asked.

'Yes,' he said, fiddling his Slytherin badge.

'Hmm, well I suppose I can trust a Slytherin to get a Gryffindor in trouble sufficiently.'

 _Did the Fat Lady really just say something so bias? She's a portrait! Is this school more bias than I thought?_

Casting her mind over recent events as she stepped into the common room with a wave to Draco, she barely caught her bag when Draco tossed it towards her. She frowned as she recalled the bias she had previously overlooked, so focused on the undercurrents of unfairness in the school that she missed the parchment that had fallen from her bag and was now drifting back and forth towards the corridor floor.

* * *

The next morning, Ginny was under her bed shuffling through items. She had emptied her bag earlier, but still couldn't find the letter she had received the previous morning from the twins.

 _Salazar, where is it? I want to finish it... and then destroy it!_

She never kept any letters – They created a trail, especially when they referenced items that she had stolen – items like their book which they complained about for the first quarter of the letter - after some pointed, but blessedly anonymous comments about if she was dating her beau yet.

She refused to think it was karma paying her back for her superior attitude about never losing things last night.

 _Last night… oh please don't let it have fallen out when I was with Draco. Definitely not left in the library_ , she reasoned as she recalled the area around her bag. _But then he carried my bag, and threw it to me..._

She jumped up and ran down the stairs, checking the common room floor. Nothing. She opened the corridor door and looked around. No parchment.

A pool of dread settled in her stomach.

 _Well at least I don't have to wonder for long; potions is first up this morning. In the meantime, I'll check under the bed again…_

* * *

 **A/N: As always, if you see any Oxford English punctuation/grammar corrections, please PM me so I can fix them up. Otherwise, reviews and favouriting make me ever so happy :D**


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!

* * *

 **A/N: Help! I'm posting one of my fanfictions on an inkit competition and I need your help deciding which one! Please let me know which completed one over 2000 words you think is most enthralling and well-written! Thank you!**

To the reviewers - thank you!: **BlackRose851** [Thanks!]; **LonelyConfused** [Why thank you XD ]; **Guest1** [Thank you! Glad you liked the scenes, I suppose she is quite happy to use any means to meet her aims]; **Guest2** [Parchment details are below :) ]; **Bwitchmd** [Wow, so many details, I'll try to answer them all. Voldemort and the war don't really exist in the story; while Harry is still the Boy-Who-Lived, I suppose I'm just pretending that Voldemort fell down a magic-proof well and has been forgotten forevermore - his death eaters remain either in jail or diligently pretending to be law abiding (thus the Slytherin children are just rich, proud, and self-centered: no offense intended to your affiliated house...it's mine too!). On the flirting, not sure quite what you mean... they are somewhat aware but cautious - more explanation is in the coming chapter. Sadly Tom probably won't be making a reference in this one; I don't want Ginny to really have such a convenient excuse, she steals because she likes the thrill - no ones perfect and this is one of her flaws]; **Bite** [I'm glad you're enjoying the interactions. This story is unlikely to feature those components, it won't really fit with these characters as I've planned them, but thanks for letting me know your thoughts :) ]; and **Lisa89** [Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it. No worries, I appreciate the effort of you putting the review in English to save me translating online :)].

Happy reading!

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Recap:

 _She jumped up and ran down the stairs, checking the common room floor. Nothing. She opened the corridor door and looked around. No parchment._

 _A pool of dread settled in her stomach._

 _Well at least I don't have to wonder for long; potions is first up this morning. In the meantime, I'll check under the bed again…_

* * *

When Ginny stepped into the potions room an hour later, she saw Draco watching her with a speculative look from his seat against the wall to her left.

She sat down and turned towards him, eyes glaring. As she opened her mouth to demand he return her missing letter, Snape swept in and called for silence.

'The hospital is in dire need of a blood replenishing potions. As a simple third year potion, I expect you all to manage brewing the potion individually with ease. Anyone who fails to have a perfect potion on my desk by the end of class will lose their house more than a few points. I want absolute silence. I will also grant house points for any perfect potion that can be sent to the hospital wing for use. Begin.'

Huffing in annoyance, Ginny prepared her cauldron and quickly moved to the stores cupboard to get the ingredients. Draco stayed at his desk until she returned with her ingredients.

 _Avoiding prat._

Sitting in silence, she brewed her concoction carefully to ensure no mistakes, even when she heard the hiss of a spoiled potion to her right, she kept her focus.

Draco finished just as her own potion was cooling to reach perfection. Bottling his potion into multiple vials, he carefully took them to Snape. She watched their interaction as she counted the passing time in her head, she saw Snape give a whisper of a smile and nod his head towards a bench on the left. Draco set down the vials, returned and collected his belongings with a smirk and a mocking wave of his fingers. Just before he left the table, he dropped a note in front of her and then left the room.

When her potion was cooled completely – thankfully she finished second – she put it into vials and took them to Snape. He scrutinised it carefully, then gave her a measly amount of points and told her to leave quietly.

She quickly gathered her belongings and left the room, hoping to catch Draco, but he was long gone by the time she reached the corridor.

Looking down at the note, she unfolded the crisp parchment.

 _Ginevra,_

 _I'll be working on my potions task this afternoon in the library from four until dinner. You are welcome to join me and reclaim the property that you left behind._

 _D.M._

Stuffing the letter into her pocket, she strode to her next class. Fortunately it was one she shared with Melody – hoping that her friend had endured a terrible Slytherin quidditch training section recently and would happily grouse about Draco with her, Ginny quickly headed to class.

Slumping into her chair next to Melody for Charms, Ginny offered an unamused expression.

'What's up?' Melody asked, eyes twinkling.

'Why are you so cheery? I wanted you miserable,' Ginny sulked.

'Ha, wonderful friend, aren't you? I'm cheery because I just asked out a guy a like and he said yes.'

'Blaise Zabini?'

'Yup,' she replied, popping the 'p'.

'And where will you two be going?'

'Italy in the Room of Requirements.'

'How romantic – you realise he is Italian so has probably been to the real one.'

'Of course, but that might work in my favour – he could say that it hasn't the atmosphere of real Italy, then I'll say I've never been, then he'll offer to take me sometime, and whola a trip to Italy with Blaise!'

Ginny rolled her eyes, but a smirk formed on her face anyway. 'A grand plan – just need to get passed date one.'

'Phish! We are made for each other.'

'If you say so.'

'Like you and Malfoy.'

Ginny spluttered instantaneously, coughing to clear her airway. 'Did you addle your brain in Transfiguration!'

'You and Malfoy, don't think I haven't seen your spark – take the quidditch trials for example – the magnetism could have changed gravity and doomed us all!'

'You're a ridiculous exaggerator,' Ginny refuted.

'Tell me you don't think he is attractive.'

'I came here wanting to moan about Malfoy, and you insist on expounding his desirable attributes.'

'So you admit he is desirable,' Melody countered with a smug grin.

'I'd be blind not to think that he is handsome.'

'I asked about attractive.'

'How dumb do you think I am?' Ginny answered with a withering look.

'Not in the slightest, Bestie.'

Ginny scowled at her friend and started to practise the latest spell that Flitwick has finished droning on about – it was one she had learnt long ago when she first started stealing.

* * *

At four o'clock, Ginny arrived in the library and headed for the table that she'd found Draco at last time.

He was sitting waiting for her, leaning back on his chair so that two legs were in the air, his feet casually crossed on the table in front of him.

'Hello, Ginevra.'

'Draco,' she replied with narrow eyes and tossed her bag on the table with a thud, she held her now empty hand out expectantly.

Draco pulled some folded parchment from his pocket, running his fingers along the folds thoughtfully.

Ginny scowled. 'Any time now, Draco.'

'Your twin brothers seem to have mislaid a book. They sound frightfully distressed.'

'You read my letter!' she accused.

'Only a little, it was hard to miss the comment – the letter was unfolded when I picked it up and your brothers did write in capitals with underlining; yes, they seem quite anguished.'

'And you think I believe that?' she snapped.

Draco shrugged. 'Believe what you will, but that is the truth,' he answered calmly.

Ginny studied his face. His open expression looked honest, but with a Slytherin it was always hard to tell; she still couldn't really read Melody and the two had been friends since her first day when the twins had stuck them together with some spell and mutters of inter-house bonding (although their deranged cackling ensured she didn't believe their reasoning).

'Hmm, whatever – just give it back.'

'You know, I find it frightfully curious that you are creating a potion for invisibility – why did you take their book and why do you need to make it invisible?'

'I didn't take their book – they've gone and dropped some potion on it and it's shrunk or something.'

'Awful careless of them – given their apparent protectiveness over said book. Does it really have all their pranks listed?'

'Probably.'

Draco smirked. 'So why this potion then?'

 _Merlin, he's like a bloody Hippogriff with a ferret! He he, ferret. I suppose it can't hurt for him to know, sibling pranks and what-not…_

Ginny sighed. 'Fine, yes, I took it. Now I need to give it back without them noticing.'

'Why give it back?'

'Because they are distraught without it and I've had my fun.'

'Frightfully Slytherin of you, Ginevra,' he replied with an appreciative tone.

Ginny rolled her eyes. 'Will you just give me the letter back? I never finished reading it.'

'You didn't? Did you get to the part about your boyfriend?' There was something in his voice, but Ginny couldn't quite place it.

Ginny scoffed. 'I don't have a boyfriend.'

'You don't?'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'That is none of your business.'

Draco's face took on a predatory smile and he stood up, sauntering towards her, stopping only inches in front of her.

'Ginny! What are you doing with Malfoy?' came a shrill voice from behind her, Ginny angled slowly to face the intruder. Draco's eyes flickered between the two girls' faces.

'Hermione, hello. What brings you to this corner of the library?' Ginny asked.

'I was researching the spider incident.'

Ginny felt a surge of pride at the memory, before managing to dampen it back down.

'In the Potions section of the library?'

'Yes, I thought that a potion could have been used. But you didn't answer my question – what are you two doing?'

'Researching for our potions projects,' Ginny lied easily.

'Without any books?' Hermione questioned, leaning around to see the empty table.

'Have to decide on books before collecting them,' Ginny answered blithely, and she heard Draco shift slightly at her side.

Hermione's brow furrowed into one line as she watched them. 'You looked very cosy when I arrived.'

Ginny raised an eyebrow at Hermione. 'Do you think it is more productive to be shooting fire spells?'

'Of course not, but it doesn't mean you need to be so… close.'

'Hermione, shouldn't you be researching for the potion that could have altered Ron's pillow? I daresay you only have a particular amount of time allotted to that research today and it is slipping away on the topic of Malfoy,' Ginny answered pointedly.

Hermione jumped. 'You're right, I need to get to work. But I'll be at the next table over…'

Hermione moved around into the next aisle to take the next table. Draco sneered and flicked his wand to create a silencing charm around himself and Ginny.

'I saw your expression when she mentioned your brother's spider incident.'

Ginny looked at him expectantly in silence with the perfect look of innocence.

'You were proud – it was just a flash, but I was watching your face. Now why would you be proud of that? A nasty attack on your brother? You were involved.'

'I need you to swear to silence.'

'Alright. I so swear.'

'With your wand.'

'Dangerous, and what will be my punishment for spilling the information I am about to receive?'

'Dragon Pox.'

'That's quite deadly. How about a week in a coma instead? That also means I will be unable to play Quidditch for that week.'

Ginny tapped her lip contemplatively.

'No. Now swear or shut up.'

'A mild dose only.'

'No.'

'Then petrification for six months.'

Ginny paused in surprise at the offer. Serious but not deadly, however it would put a severe dent in his life and he would probably avoid it at all costs.

'Agreed.'

Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at himself. 'I swear not to reveal the information that Ginevra Weasley is about to tell me. If I do, I will immediately suffer six months of constant petrification.' A beam of white light shot at Draco.

Slightly shocked that Draco had legitimately done the spell, Ginny looked at him with wide eyes.

 _Well, curiosity did kill the cat - but I did always assumed it wasn't a Slytherin one…_

He waved his hand, gesturing for her to tell him.

'Yes, I pranked Ron for revenge; he was being a horrid prat.'

'You seem to be rather keen on this revenge thing.'

'So?'

'It's sexy. Bit scary, but very sexy.'

Ginny rolled her eyes and Draco stepped closer, his hands hovering near her sides. 'Combine that with your obvious sneakiness, intelligence, and beauty, you are quite the most perfect lady in this school.'

 _What's he playing at? Is he being serious? No, surely this is some stupid prank. He must be joking._

'And I thought you had a boyfriend.'

'Yes, we covered that: congratulations, you thought wrong.'

'There is a Hogsmeade weekend next Saturday, I'd be delighted if you would join me and let me take you too lunch.'

'Stop being a prat,' she replied glancing around to spot any watching Slytherins.

'I'm not kidding around, Ginevra. Come to Hogsmeade with me as my date,' he answered, stepping closer once more, but not touching her.

'Are you serious?' she asked incredulously.

'Quite,' he replied, his eyes focused on her intently as he looked down at her petite frame.

Ginny bit her lip. _No, he must be fooling around – no choice, laugh him off._ Ginny released a laugh and stepped away. 'We need to study.'

Draco watched her for a moment, speculatively, and then lead the way to sit back at the table. He flicked her letter across the table to her seat and started to list books he would need for his potions projects.

Ginny slipped into a chair beside him, chewing her lip again.

 _He didn't laugh – does that mean he wasn't joking? Could he have seriously wanted to go out with me and I turned him down with a laugh?_ She gave an internal wince. _Wait, why do I care? Do I like him? I mean, he is attractive, and smart, and funny, and… sod it, I do like him and just laughed at his offer._

While Ginny was musing, she didn't notice that Draco had gone to collect some books and was now settling back into his chair. He glanced at her and smirked confidently, although she didn't see; only looking up when he pushed a book towards her. Ginny spent the next hour pretending to work as her mind was in distress about how she had just treated Draco and having decide he was being earnest and she actually wanted to say yes.

After an hour, she gave up and quietly closed her book.

'Draco.'

He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

'Yes, Ginevra?' he drawled.

'I thought you were trying to play a trick on me,' she admitted.

'I am aware, however I wasn't,' he replied calmly.

'I would like very much to join you next weekend in Hogsmeade.'

'I'll be waiting for you in the Entrance Hall at ten,' he replied with a heart-fluttering grin and stood up, packing away his books and shouldering his bag.

Ginny smiled. 'I look forward to it. See you later, Draco.'

'Good evening, Ginevra,' he replied as he sauntered away.

* * *

 **A** **/N: 'Please help reminder' - I'm posting one of my fanfictions on an inkit competition and I need your help deciding which one! Please let me know which completed one over 2000 words you think is most enthralling and well-written! Thank you!**


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